[flueftArete]

I still don't think she will get there, but let's assume she does. Does she really deserve to stay there if the only way to do so is to win small clay tournaments in far away places no other top player plays? I think not...

280 of her current 1635 ranking points come from her 2 Winter clay titles. She's done great on hardcourts this year, so her current ranking is a product of a lot more than clay results.

I'm not even a fan, really. I think I'm more impressed that a 26 year old is in the midst of a career season, and has become one of the top players in the WTA. And that 7 of the Top 15 players are 25 or older.

[jagxj12]

Speaking of International tournaments, which clay tournament do Flavia play if she reaches Top 10 when the AO is over?

I would like to believe that she will act like a true top 10 player and won't play any before the proper clay season...

[zzbust]

I would like to believe that she will act like a true top 10 player and won't play any before the proper clay season...

If there weren't TWO hardcourt seasons and one clay I wouldn't have a problem with that... but since there are, don't know why she should favor one instead of the other. She should be able to play where she is most content.

[Golotop]

You gotta wonder though...what happens if Flavia does make the Top 10. She's the queen of the Tier 3 run through Mexico and S. America in the early part of the year. And she has been huge at these events, it seems, over the last few years.

I just looked at Pennetta's activity for the year. She's played in a whopping TEN events that are Tier III or IV. I think it's worth noting that in the first nine, she wasn't even in the top twenty. Her big jumps started with her final at LA (hardcourt). From LA (end of July) to now, she's earned 910 points, and 40 of those are from the Tier III Bali.

[Golotop]

I just looked at Pennetta's activity for the year. She's played in a whopping TEN events that are Tier III or IV. I think it's worth noting that in the first nine, she wasn't even in the top twenty. Her big jumps started with her final at LA (hardcourt). From LA (end of July) to now, she's earned 910 points, and 40 of those are from the Tier III Bali.

So in the last three months, she's earned a little over half her points, and from "premiere" events.

[tofRobbroolve]

If there weren't TWO hardcourt seasons and one clay I wouldn't have a problem with that... but since there are, don't know why she should favor one instead of the other. She should be able to play where she is most content.

I agree. She should be free to play wherever she wants and get all the points and hence the best ranking she can based on her skill set.

They've done all they can to minimize South America and clay court play in general with Roadkill and Brave New World. As it stands now 2009 will have the winter hard court season, the summer hard court season, and the new Asian hardcourt season.

[2CNWXAqN]

Not quite sure where to put this but According to German reports Domi has moved on from Gael who had moved on earlier in the year.

Quote:
They first showed up at Austria's international soccer match against Serbia, and despite of the fact that they were posing for some photographs, Cibulkova wasn't identified. Their relationship already started at this year's USO, where the couple played the mixed competition. But New York was only the beginning of what should follow. Because in Vienna, the 19 year old Slovak did not only enjoy the soccer match, Melzer showed her his home town as well.
(...)
And there is another article, in which Melzer confirmed this relationship. and.. well, thats what he said about his new girlfriend.
"I absolutely stick by this relationship and I'm just very happy at the moment. Dominika is a great woman, we are on the same wavelength and the two of us do really enjoy our sport! In NY we already had a good connection to each other and we went out a couple of times in Vienna, this is how our relationship was getting deeper, slowly, but obviously we went to the "wiener prater" (an amusement park^^) for example"
http://www.laola1.at/128+M53bd704b410.html(German)

It's also reported that during the Vienna final Domi was sitting with Melzer and Peya in Petzschner's box. Petzschner was playing Monfils.

The "wiener prater" huh? I just hope Radek isn't updating his list. I don't think Nicole could handle it. I did see pics of Gael with another girl during the summer but didn't know if it was a driveby or something more serious.



And the countdown begins...

Adding:
http://thetennistimes.com/dominika-c...jurgen-melzer/

Posted on October 23, 2008 - by The Insider | Visited 8 times, 8 so far today

Dominika Cibulkova Now Dating Jurgen Melzer

Random
According to Austrian website laola1.at, Slovakian WTA star Dominika Cibulkova is the new girlfriend of Austrian ATP player Jurgen Melzer. Cibulkova and Melzer, who played together the mixed doubles event at the US Open, are reported to be more than tennis partners.
Cibulkova was related this summer to ATP player Gael Monfils, while Melzer is a real lady-killer on the Tour, as he has previously dated Anastasia Myskina and Nicole Vaidisova.
Watch out ladies Melzer seems to change his ladies more than he wins ATP matches.

[zzbust]

I agree. She should be free to play wherever she wants and get all the points and hence the best ranking she can based on her skill set.

They've done all they can to minimize South America and clay court play in general with Roadkill and Brave New World. As it stands now 2009 will have the winter hard court season, the summer hard court season, and the new Asian hardcourt season.

oh, 3! hardcourt stretches now. Great, more unbalance.

When's the Asian hardcourt season?
I truly hope that Fed and Rafa can get clay and grass more space and prestige.

[Lgcjqxlw]

oh, 3! hardcourt stretches now. Great, more unbalance.

When's the Asian hardcourt season?
I truly hope that Fed and Rafa can get clay and grass more space and prestige.

I've allways disliked how the grass season pretty much doesn't exist, as a result of Wimbledon being so close to the French. it's like two weeks long, and if people want a week off before Wimbledon they can only play one tourney. I know it's a pipe dream but I really wish that they could change the schedule, either Wibldeon back of the French up or some of both, so that we can actually have some sembelance of a grass court season

[tofRobbroolve]

I've allways disliked how the grass season pretty much doesn't exist, as a result of Wimbledon being so close to the French. it's like two weeks long, and if people want a week off before Wimbledon they can only play one tourney. I know it's a pipe dream but I really wish that they could change the schedule, either Wibldeon back of the French up or some of both, so that we can actually have some sembelance of a grass court season

Both events scream "tradition" and refuse to budge from their places in the schedule amenssen.

I see the changes in both tours as the proponents of hard court tennis forcing the top players to play their events - read US Open Series - at the expense of clay. Grass season was already reduced to a two week slot on the calendar so in a way it was less affected than clay. With the A$ian events being added and/or moved around you ju$t have more hard court play than ever. It's why the European players made the move to get on the ATP council. The South Americans have been pretty quiet.