2012 Year End Review: The women ranked Nos. 6-10

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6. Sara Errani

There is strong argument to be made that Errani improved more than anyone in 2012, and while I feel that two of the lower and medium rung players improved more (Robson and Lepchenko), Errani gets my vote in the elite category, even over Angie Kerber, who also had a terrific season. What Errani did was transform herself from a run of the mill clay court player to one who could play most matches on her terms, and from a forgettable hard court player to one who could counterpunch with more zip and effectiveness.

Not only did she reach the Roland Garros final and the US Open semis in singles, but also ended the year as member of the top- ranked doubles teams with fellow Italian Roberta Vinci. She can scamper, has a fine return and under rated volley. I don’t expect her to better her year ranking in 2013, but I could see finishing in the top 10 again because she is super committed to her tennis.

7. Li Na

Even though Li has frequently said that she can’t find a way to push past the game’s best player, Serena Williams, I believe that on great day she could and that the veteran Chinese is one of the few players who has the weaponry and know how to best every other elite player when she’s on. While she still goes on mental walkabouts and could improve her serve and her volley, she is rock solid from inside the baseline and has a devastating return. The brilliant Carlo Rodriguez is now coaching her and if she keeps her ears open to his unusually sound advice, she could grab her second Slam crown in 2013. The 30-year-old better, because I think deep down she realizes that by 2014 she might want to settle with her husband and start a family.

8. Petra Kvitova

Given that the Czech came into the year with a great shot of taking over No.1 due to her first Slam title in 2011 and her terrific play at the year- end WTA Championships, ending the season out of the top 5 is nothing to be thrilled about. While every player has some type of injury or another, few got sick as much as Kvitova did in 2012, which is why her results were so sporadic- she just couldn’t beat whatever virus or allergy that continues to trouble her. But if she can figure that out in 2013 I have no doubt that she can make a run at No.1 and win another major crown. If she’s fit, she has a powerful left-handed serve (although she could add 10 more MPH to it), a fantastic and heavy forehand, a more than respectable backhand down the line and very good volley. Her movement will always be in question, but she has enough other skills to make up for it. Frankly I’m expecting huge things from her in 2013.

9. Samantha Stosur

What I like the most about Stosur is that she always seems to be willing to be in the work and she has made palatable improvements in the last three years, especially with her backhand. No her 2012 did not match her 2011 and she did not have one great result that raises your eyebrows, but she did finally get over the hump against Maria Sharapova and nearly did so against Victoria Azarenka at the US Open. Those are positives. Really, Stosur’s 2013 season is going to be largely determined how she does in January at home in Australia because the 2011 US Open champ played nowhere near at her capacity this year, only winning one match. She is over due for great Aussie Open. Her fans can only hope that she can play at her top level and not let her nerves overwhelm her. If she can survive the first week and then knock off a top player say in the quarters, then she’ll have a real title shot.

10. Caroline Wozniacki

There were times back in 2009 and 2010 when I was thought to be the Wozniacki’s heaviest critic outside of Denmark, and perhaps that was the case, or perhaps that was just perceived to be the case because I was one of the few non-Danish journalists who actually spent a fair amount of time watching her play and had developed serious opinions about her game. During the last two seasons though, I have frequently found myself defending her game and her future prospects, for despite having a down year that was largely disastrous at the Slams, she still has a number of positives. She does own one of the world’s top backhands, she does move better than most and she always competes to the last ball, even when her head is spinning and she’s lost nearly all of her confidence, which we saw in the summer. Outside of her freezing up at the Slams, what I don’t like about what happened with Caro this year was her indecisiveness about her coaching situation: she cut Thomas Johansson loose after only a few months and that’s not nearly enough time for him to have much of an effect. The same thing happen with Ricardo Sanchez. Caroline has make it clear that her dad Piotr is her primary coach, which is fine, but why can’t they figure out away for her to expand her team  and put trust in someone else who can help her push her game to another level. The Williams sisters, who were primarily coached by their parents did, as did Sharapova. Perhaps in Australia, Piotr will allow adidas Player Development coach Sven Groeneveld to call the shots. It’s worth a try.