[bonyrek]

Since she is still pretty young, I can see her getting back to the upper echelon, but it's gonna take awhile. I do think she will eventually run out of WCs, but it wont be long before she doesnt need them anyway.

[Leczyslaw]

The only one I can say for sure is that she'll be at the mercy of the Williams Sisters. I think she'll be top 15, maybe top 10, but won't be able to win another slam.

I think she always was and will be fairly capable of beating WS on hardcourts and of course on clay. The problem for her was always her own meltdowns in semis and finals... if she was mentally stronger, she could have 4-5 slams by now, she certainly had the game for it. Now, I am not sure if she has same ability as before and the footspeed.

[Sniliabiz]

The match in Bree, Rabbit? That was a make up. They were supposed to face each other at Hopman Cup that year, before Kim injured her ankle. So they played an exhibition in Bree later that year to make up for it.

Thanks, Moose!

[formobilagsw]

One of the questions that will take a while to answer (unless she addresses it earlier, since there wouldn't be a clay event for about 9 months from her start date) is what she's going to do come Clay season. While she seems a natural physically on the surface, and has a couple of RG finals to her credit, she had planned not to play the French in '07, because of the wear and tear on her reconstructed wrist. If she opts out of the clay season (all or a big part of it), that will impact her chances at the highest reaches of the rankings.

I think it all depends on......what exactly are her goals? Does she WANT to move up in the ranks? Is she looking at.....playing tennis for a long time? Is she just testing the waters? Does she play to focus on the big ones? Wants to win slams?

I think her schedule and everything else will depend on what exactly her goals are in tennis. If she is serious about coming back, she's got to realize that....even if this doesn't "just take off"....she's got to have the commitment to make it past the beginning (even if it is dismal) to see what kind of tennis she can really play. Look how many comebacks it took Jelena before she reached where she is today on the tour.

I'm rooting for Kimmie to shoot right back up to the top ten. Very few players can do that....Look at Amelie, who never returned to form after her appy.......but I believe Kimmie is one.

[Breevereurl]

Personally I think her results will depend on a few things.
1. How her body holds and more importantly has she lost a few steps. Kim at her best could run down anything, that was her biggest weapon, if she's lost some steps she'll struggle.
2. How much she plays. If she plays a Lindsay-like schedule she won't make top 15 even if she does well in the events she plays in. WTA is all about quantity.
3. Where she plays, coming back unranked in big events is dicey. Kim would be smart to start small and work herself up. There's nothing worse to confidence than a first round loss in a big event to a player you could beat at your best.

But overall I agree, that give the right circumstances, Saint Kimmie should be at least a top 30 player again and perhaps make a quarter at a slam again and win a title or two. It'll take a bit more than just desire to drive her higher, in my opinion.

[pavelChe]

Concerning the younger generations of players. I don't think its a reluctance to play defense. Not enough of them are good enough athletes to play defense at Kim's level. Its the same with Jelena. You can't expect a tall player like a large majority of the current crop to focus on defense when they don't have the builds to play it. It just doesn't make sense.

[Assauraarguck]

Thus proving AtlPam's point, Vlad.

Oh yeah, I know. Just felt like saying something when my girl is mentioned

She was the main reason for my "no offense" because I actually like Alize; I just don't see her or Radwanska being able to consistently beat most of the top 8 players - and Kim was consistently in that category.

[Gometesstem]

Clijsters is a top 10 player (after Wimbledon 2010 at the latest) unless she has lost at least a full step and/or injuries interfere.

[MaickiP]

The only one I can say for sure is that she'll be at the mercy of the Williams Sisters. I think she'll be top 15, maybe top 10, but won't be able to win another slam.

This is almost my exact thought. I guess I'd upgrade "maybe top 10" to "probably top 10." I would be shocked at another slam final.

[DurryVony]

Hingis 2.0 2.0. I think she will do well, make the top 10, but I don't think she will win another slam.