Caroline Wozniacki, Maria Sharapova and 2012 Outlook on Women's Top 15

Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki are two of the biggest names in women's tennis, but what chances do they have of winning in 2012?  Along with the rest of the Top 15, we take a look at the outlook for all the major players in the women's game.

With the returns to form of a few past winners like Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters, along with the rise of young starlets, times are good for the WTA, as 2012 looks to be one of the most competitive seasons ever.

How will your favourite get on?  And who do you think will win the Grand Slams?

15. Sabine Lisicki

Sabine Lisicki had a real breakthrough year in 2011, making it into the Top 15 for the first time—a great achievement for the German, especially considering that she missed most of 2010 with injury.

The highlight of the season was undoubtedly her semifinal appearance at Wimbledon, making her the first German to reach a Grand Slam semi for over a decade.

Lisicki played very well in the midseason run between the French Open and US Open, but seemed to struggle outside of that.  

Expect Lisicki to return in 2012 with a lot more consistency.  A few more quarterfinal and semifinal appearances to go along with two or three titles will see Lisicki move into the Top 10 and push for a place in the season-ending championships in Istanbul.

14. Jelena Jankovic

Jelena Jankovic was unable to maintain her spot inside the Top 10 in 2011, and the slide will likely continue for the Serbian.

The former world No. 1 did not have a terrible year, making a handful of semifinal appearances, but she did fail to win a title, losing out in both her final appearances.

Jankovic failed to raise her game for Grand Slam tournaments this past year, and that will continue into 2012.  

Jankovic will go one step better than 2011 and win a tournament next season, but that will not be enough to see her climb back up the rankings.  

Expect younger players like Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to creep inside the Top 15 by the season's end at the expense of a solid, but uninspiring Jankovic.

13. Kim Clijsters

After reaching the finals of her first three tournaments of 2011 and winning the Australian Open, it looked as if Kim Clijsters was going to dominate women's tennis.

It was not to be, though, as a series of bad results and injuries meant that Australian Open was her only title for the year.

Clijsters will come back stronger and more determined in 2012.  As she suggests in this picture, she will win five tournaments, including a Grand Slam.

She is also a player who could make a strong showing at the London Olympics, where she could give Belgium a rare medal.

12. Serena Williams

Serena Williams went without a Grand Slam title in 2011 for the first time in six seasons.  But it wasn't through any fault of her own.

Injury ruined her season, and Williams barely made it back in time for Wimbledon.  After that, her season went as would be expected.  

She played in three WTA tournaments, winning two; on top of that, she reached the US Open final.

Now that she's back at full fitness, you should expect a lot from Williams.  She will likely win several tournaments and a Grand Slam.  By the end of 2012, Williams will be challenging for a place in the Top Three once again.

11. Francesca Schiavone

Francesca Schiavone had a decent enough year, but she has failed to push on after winning her first Grand Slam in 2010.

Schiavone started the year inside the Top Five, but her performances away from clay saw her fall outside the Top 10 as the season progressed.

The same will be true in 2012—Schiavone will be very strong on clay but will fail to make a big impression elsewhere.

10. Andrea Petkovic

Andrea Petkovic had a good year in 2011, and she will build on that in 2012.

After reaching the quarterfinals of three Grand Slams this year, Petkovic will make it to a final this year, although she probably won't have enough to take a title.

She will continue to do well on the WTA tour, and will be one of the Top Eight when Istanbul comes around again at the end of 2012.

9. Marion Bartoli

Marion Bartoli reached the final of Wimbledon in 2007, but is yet to make another final appearance. 

She had a great chance at the 2011 French Open, but fell in the semifinal.  Bartoli will do reasonably well again but will still fail to reach a Grand Slam final.

Two tour-level victories and solid performances at the Grand Slams will see her stay in the Top Twenty, but she will struggle to stay in the Top 10.

8. Agnieszka Radwanska

Agnieszka Radwanska, the Polish No. 1, has reached her top level in the game.  Without the power and hard hitting that many others have, Radwanska is going to struggle to get into the Top Five.

She will once again be a solid performer in 2012, and will pick up another tournament win or two, but she'll struggle at Grand Slam events, perhaps making a quarterfinal somewhere, but nothing more.

Her solid performances will just see her stay in the Top 10, but it will be touch-and-go when it comes to reaching the year-end tournament in Istanbul next season.

7. Vera Zvonareva

Vera Zvonareva is probably a little disappointed with her season in 2011.  After some great performances in 2010—especially in the second half of the season—she never really pushed on to break into the Top Three.

Grand Slam tournaments will be the main focus again, as she looks to improve on her two final appearances and get her first win.  Unfortunately, that is not likely this year.

A good, solid season with a couple of wins in smaller WTA tournaments will see her stay well inside the Top 15, but she will struggle to beat players in the Top Five, ruling her out of the major tournaments.

6. Sam Stosur

Sam Stosur has become one of the most solid performers on the WTA circuit in the last couple of years, and that will continue into 2012.

Stosur has an incredible level of fitness, and that helped her to win her first Grand Slam at the US Open last year.  

She will be strong on the hard courts, but her main success will come on the clay—success at the French Open is a real possibility for Stosur.

A little more consistency in her game will see her stay within the Top Eight and make another season-ending appearance in Istanbul, where she will once again be a Grand Slam champion.

5. Li Na

Li Na has been a consistent performer over the last couple of years, and she was rewarded with a win at the French Open earlier this year.

Na will continue to impress and play smart tennis to stay well inside the Top 10.  She might struggle to win another Grand Slam, but she will pick up three or four WTA titles and be one of the most consistent players of the year.

Expect Na to be another player who takes the Olympics very seriously; along with Kim Clijsters, she should be expected to pick up a medal.

4. Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova has been gradually returning to the same player she was before her serious shoulder injury in late 2008.

A decent showing in 2010 was followed by some very strong performances in 2011, and Sharapova has risen back into the Top Five for the first time since her injury.

Sharapova reached the final of Wimbledon without dropping a set, but lost to Petra Kvitova when she got there.

In 2012, Sharapova will return to winning ways in Grand Slams, and she will pick up a Grand Slam victory for the first time since her injury.  Expect her to be challenging for the No. 1 spot by the end of the year.

3. Viktoria Azarenka

Viktoria Azarenka is incredibly talented and has the potential to be one of the best all-around players in the women's game.  But unfortunately, that's as good as it's going to get.

A career-best showing in Grand Slams during 2011 is probably as far as she will ever get.  Azarenka will not get past the quarterfinal stage this year.

The big difference between Azarenka and the other women in the Top Five is her doubles abilities.  As long as she keeps playing doubles tennis—at least as long as she plays to such a high level of doubles tennis—she will struggle to make a huge impact in the singles game.

Azarenka will win at least one title in 2012, possibly two, and will have a lot of success in doubles as usual, but expect her to drop out of the Top Five for singles.

2. Petra Kvitova

Expect big things from Petra Kvitova in 2012.

She will build on her Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, putting in strong performances in all four majors, as well as winning a few tour events as well.

Kvitova will be the main challenger to Caroline Wozniacki, especially in the first part of the season.  By the French Open, she will have overtaken the Dane, and will become the World No. 1.

The 21-year-old lefty from the Czech Republic will prove herself as one of the best in women's tennis during 2012. 

1. Caroline Wozniacki

Caroline Wozniacki has spent the last two seasons as the No. 1 player in women's tennis.  But that will change in 2012.

Wozniacki will continue to be one of the best defensive players on the circuit, but she will be overtaken by Petra Kvitova in the rankings before the French Open.

Again, Wozniacki will be a solid performer, and will end the season with a number of tournament wins, but once again, without that elusive Grand Slam title.

She is a great player, but until that title comes, she will always be doubted in the press.  Unfortunately she will have to wait a while longer for her title.