Touted for the top
WTA promising youngsters
Ana Konjuh (CRO, Career High Ranking: 185)
Pros:
Konjuh is powerful off of both wings and can control the point when she gets the first strike and is in the front seat. At just 16 she is ranked inside the top 200, and has won both the junior Australian Open and the junior U.S Open, and boasts a win over Roberta Vinci in Auckland, but she is a fairly unknown quantity on the senior tour given her young age.
Cons:
Konjuh appears to struggle when she is pushed into defensive positions and is on the run, but much of this could be accounted to her age, she has a few years to develop it in order to become a factor on the senior tour.
Taylor Townsend (U.S.A, Career High Ranking: 150)
Pros:
Townsend plays an attacking brand of tennis, having the power to rally from the baseline as well as the variety to mix it up and come to the net. Townsend recently made a splash defeating french number one Alize Cornet in the second round of the French Open at just 18. Townsend ventured to the net 60 times winning the point 41 of those times in her French Open run, this statistic demonstrates the variety she posses. Andy Murray among other stars have predicted that Taylor will reach the highest echelons of the game in a few years to come.
Cons:
Townsend was recently surrounded by controversy regarding her conditioning, given her age she still has plenty of time to work on her fitness to improve her court speed and defensive capabilities. More than this she can often go for too much or low percentage shots as opposed to building the point by playing high percentage tennis. Zina Garrison said it best: “She has everything… so it’s just a matter of putting it together”.
Ashleigh Barty (AUS, Career High Ranking: 129)
Pros:
Barty possesses an all-court game, capable of playing almost any shot, variety is her biggest asset. She often uses her forehand to open up angles and generate pace. Barty has become a very successful doubles player at just the age of 18, having reached 3 grand slam finals, and reaching a career high doubles ranking of 12. Barty also won the Wimbledon juniors title in 2011.
Cons:
Barty has struggled to acquit herself on the senior singles tour when compared to her doubles success. Barty has failed to gain significant wins like many of her promising peers on the singles stage, this is perhaps due to her limited power. While her all-court game allows her to excel in doubles, she is more vulnerable in singles where she can be blown off court by big hitters.
Belinda Bencic (SWI, Career High Ranking: 77)
Pros:
Bencic has won both the French Open and the Wimbledon juniors showing she is capable on different surfaces. She has been steadily rising in the rankings this year, reaching the semi-finals in Charleston with her power and ball-striking abilities making many tip her to excel over the next couple of years. Bencic beat Errani in Charleston showing that she has the power and nerve to top the solid Italian who rarely gives a point away.
Cons:
Bencic has the ability to be on top of the point due to her power but lacks the poise and touch to finish points off at the net, this was evident against Venus Williams in the first round of the French Open where she framed a volley in the back end of the first set. More than that, Bencic demonstrates indecision in some rallies going for too much where the opportunity isn't available or being too passive when it is.
Zarina Diyas (KAZ, Career High Ranking: 70)
Pros:
Diyas has a solid game, achieving depth and power off of both her backhand and forehand, and moving well around the court. Diyas’ biggest career win is over Jelena Jankovic in 2010, and reached the third round at this years Australian Open. Zarina is a solid player, with the pace, depth and serve capable of pushing her ranking into the top 30.
Cons:
Diyas has a solid all round game, but lacks a killer shot to put her over her peers. More than this, Diyas has already been on tour for five years and struggled to move consistently up the rankings and make an impact, with many of the girls on this list younger than her but with a higher ranking, as well as the fact she didn't win a major at junior level or get into the top ten.
Donna Vekic (CRO, Career High Ranking: 62)
Pros:
At Just 17 Vekic has been in three finals, winning in Kuala Lumpur against top-10 player Cibulkova. Vekic is strong off of both wings, and her forehand is especially lethal allowing her to easily put away winners when she is on the front foot. Vekic’s first serve is fairly strong setting up the point for her big groundstrokes and allowing the youngster to excel on faster surfaces. Vekic is capable at the net and moves around adequately to provide her with a good foundation for her senior career.
Cons:
Vekic’s second serve is fairly attackable by powerful opponents which will allow them to put her on the back-foot and take the match out of her hands. As Vekic increases her senior schedule it will be important for her to remain consistent and perform week in week out to move further up the rankings to avoid bad draws.
Ajla Tomljanovic (CRO, Career High Ranking: 51)
Pros:
Tomljanovic is particularly good at constructing points, with solid ground strokes she’ll often seek to move her opponent around the court until there’s an opening to come in and finish it. She also has the variety to support her persistent play, both of these attributes were on display in her run to the fourth round of the French Open 2014 defeating Schiavone, Vesnina and Radwanska in straight sets. Ajla showed she also had mental poise in clinching these upset wins and reach round four of a major for the first time.
Cons:
Tomljanovic can work on her movement, because although its not poor, she wouldn't be able to win the point from a defensive position very often, which is what she is going to be faced with when she plays top players who are more explosive than her. More than that, Tomljanovic’s game seems fairly consistent but lacks the upside that other youngsters like Robson, Keys and Stephens seem to have.
Caroline Garcia (FRA, Career High Ranking: 43)
Pros:
Garcia has improved tremendously this year, reaching the Madrid quarter-finals, the Acapulco semis, beating Jankovic to capture the Bogota title, and pushing both Serena Williams and Radwanska to three sets. Garcia has a strong serve, and an even bigger forehand which she can often use to open up the court. Garcia illustrated that she has the power to hit with Williams in Miami, ripping winners off of both wings.
Cons:
For all of Garcia’s upside, she is a streaky player who can often go for the winner too quickly off of the forehand wing, rather than using it to open up the court and construct. Garcia’s lapses were definitely present in her French Open match against Ivanovic where she crumpled under the pressure and failed to make the match a contest going out in a flurry of errors. If she can keep her head Garcia has the potential to push for the top 10 in the next couple of years.
Monica Puig (PR, Career High Ranking: 41)
Pros:
Puig is an offensive baseliner capable of producing deep groundstrokes, and a speedy player able to turn points around with her defensive skills. Puig reached the fourth round of last years Wimbledon beating then world number 5 Sara Errani on the way, and she recently captured her maiden title, defeating Soler-Espinosa in Strasbourg.
Cons:
Puig although persistent can often be under-powered against the top players who have more weapons than her. Her serve is attackable also, pushing her on the back-foot and often putting the match on the other players racket. She’ll need to be more aggressive in order to move up the rankings or face a limit to how high she can climb.
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA, Career High Ranking: 36)
Pros: Mladenovic is a powerful player with a big serve, and all-court capabilities as evidenced by her winning seven WTA doubles titles with different partners, including the 2013 mixed doubles Wimbledon title and 2014 Australian Open title with Daniel Nestor. Mladenovic recently upset world number two and former Roland Garros champion Li Na in the first round of the French Open, illustrating her singles prowess to her home country.
Cons:
Mladenovic’s aggressive style means that she has fine margins, and when things aren't going right for her she can struggle to find a plan b in regroup. More than that, her movement is less than adequate to flourish at the top end of the women’s game, and only underlines her struggle to right the ship when her groundstrokes aren't landing.
Madison Keys (USA, Career High Ranking: 36)
Pros:
Keys has one of the biggest upsides to her game in the women’s game, her booming serve and huge groundstrokes can blow opponents off of the court when firing, and she has the capabilities to finish off points with efficient volleying and overhead skills. Many have suggested Keys is the next great American hope due to her powerful game and has been likened to Lindsay Davenport, Venus Williams and Jennifer Capriarti.
Cons:
Although Keys has worked on her footwork and defense tremendously, she still is relatively slow when compared to the top players on tour, and so she must rely on her big serve and ground strokes to put her on top of the point. Keys must also learn to better construct points using her weapons as opposed to going for a winner early on.
Laura Robson (GBR, Career High Ranking: 27)
Pros:
Similarly to Keys, Robson is powerful and has one of the most upside to her game. Robson’s powerful lefty first serve can be effective allowing her to win cheap points from it. More than that, Robson is extremely powerful off of both wings, particularly her forehand, Robson has been likened to Pearce and Kvitova in terms of her raw power. Robson has also demonstrated her capabilities at the net, teaming with Andy Murray to win an Olympic silver medal. She has also proven to be a big match player, boasting wins over Kvitova, Venus, Li Na and Clijsters.
Cons:
Robson’s movement in particular is noted as a weak part of her game, often struggling on the back foot of the rally, meaning she must get the first strike against her opponents, sometimes leading to her going for too much in the rally. More than that, Robson’s serve can breakdown from time to time, making her prone to double faults.
Garbine Muguruza (ESP, Career High Ranking: 27)
Pros:
Muguruza plays with pace and depth off of both wings, and with a big serve can often push around players, as Serena Williams experienced at this years French Open, as Muguruza bullied Williams 6-2 6-2 playing hard up the middle and didn't let up. Muguruza also has a powerful serve she can use to get her cheap points and put her in the ascendancy in the rally. Muguruza gained her first career title in Hobart this year, and reached the quarter-finals of the French Open pushing Maria Sharapova to three sets.
Cons:
Muguruza struggles on the defense like many of her peers and lacks the ability to stay in the point when pushed back and as such must go for broke from start to finish. Muguruza tends to struggling with holding her nerve in big matches when in the driver’s seat, often over thinking and choking, but she seemed to turn a corner at this French Open.
Eugenie Bouchard (CAN, Career High Ranking: 12)
Pros:
Bouchard is the junior Wimbledon champion, the WTA newcomer of 2013, and semi-finalist in the Australian Open beating Ivanovic in the process, and French Open semi-finalist. She is an aggressive baseliner, who takes the ball early in order to take time away from her opponents. She generates excellent racket-head speed off her forehand side, and is quick around the court unlike most of her young peers. More than that, her serve is relatively big and will only improve in the future, and she has the right attitidue to win grandslams with her never say die attitude. Bouchard is most renowned for suggesting that she isn’t willing to rest on her laurels and be ‘promising’, she wants to be the best she can and now.
Cons:
Bouchard is aggressive, if not an explosive player, if she comes up against someone with more upside like Keys or Robson, there’s little she can do to compete and remain on the offence. Furthermore, Bouchard must consistently tow the line between staying aggressive and going for too much.
Sloane Stephens (USA, Career High Ranking: 11)
Pros:
Stephens is the most athletic of the young guns, she has the raw power to rip forehand winners almost at will, and is probably one of the fastest players on tour. Stephens is capable in all facets on the court, with capable volleys and a strong serve. Sloane is also a big match player and tends to turn up her intensity in Grand Slams, having reached the second week in all of the last six slams, including a semi-final run at the 2013 Australian Open where she beat Serena Williams en route.
Cons:
Despite her natural ability, Stephens tends to rely on her defensive capabilities rather than forcing the issue,using her strength and big forehand to boss the match, so she often goes down against the top players such as Serena, Sharapova, Azarenka and Halep. She is the polar opposite to Bouchard in the fact that she tends to rest on her laurels at events outside the the Grand Slams, having not even had reached a final of a WTA tour event, let alone win a title. Stephens must adjust her attitude during the year to play her best tennis in order to capture titles and make a push for the top ten; she must also adopt a more aggressive mindset in matches against the top players to stand a chance, and take hold of her own destiny.
