Who's No. 1? Where Do We Begin

Posted Jun 30, 2009 10:50PM By Greg Couch (RSS feed)

Revenge. It's the perfect time for the Williams Sisters, particularly for Serena. Who's No. 1? Dinara Safina? Right. So Serena has grumbled about it, saying everyone knows that's she's the real No. 1.

Well, now Venus and Serena are dominating Wimbledon. Venus will beat Safina in the semis on Thursday. And if Serena wins this thing over her sister (I'll take Venus), then the grudge is over. Serena is the champ and
No. 1.

Well, not quite. Safina is going to stay No. 1. But here's the weird thing: No matter what happens, Safina's lead in the computer rankings is going to increase. Does this compute? If Safina loses in the semis, and Serena wins the title, then that will be enough for Safina to pad her lead.

Huh?

"I'm staying there [at No. 1]," Safina said.

What a mess. And I've argued before that while Serena is the best, as she said before losing to a journeyman player, she also has earned her No. 2 spot. Yes, Safina has never won a major. But the rankings not only reward majors, but also 52-week consistency.

Serena doesn't try particularly hard unless it's a major. But come on. If Serena wins this Wimbledon (I'll still take Venus), then she will have won three of the past four majors. Whatever happens, this Wimbledon has been a sign of what we expected the sisters to do all the time, everywhere, for years. They have been the best, but have not dominated the sport as expected.

Still, when Safina won Tuesday to advance to the semis, she said that people can't look at her performance in majors anymore and say she doesn't deserve to be
No. 1.

"I mean, all four Grand Slams, I've been in the semis," she said. "So I think it's something impressive."

Not really. Serena has won all of them. Serena and Safina have started a little rivalry over this, with Serena saying that "quite frankly," everyone knows she's the best. Safina responded that some people are jealous of her youth and No. 1 ranking.

Here's how it works: The rankings compute a player's past year of play. So the 2008 Wimbledon results will disappear as soon as the 2009 Wimbledon is finished. Well, Venus scored 2,000 computer points for winning last year. She is now forced to defend those points. Serena scored 1,400 as the runner-up. And Safina scored only 160 for her third-round loss. Now, when Venus beats Safina in the semis, Safina will replace those 160 with 900 for reaching this year's semis. That's a 740-point increase. If Serena wins, she replaces her 1,400 with 2,000, a 600-point increase. You think that's a mess, look at the men's rankings.

If Roger Federer wins the championship, then he will pass Rafael Nadal, who is out with sore knees, and move back to No. 1. If Andy Murray wins, then he'll pass Federer -- the greatest player of all time falling to No. 3? -- but will fall five points short of Nadal. Murray was penalized more than that for skipping out of Indy last year without an excuse. However, the penalty wears off in mid-July. So if Murray wins Wimbledon, he will be No. 1. In a few weeks.

Well, this is Safina's big chance. And she has been impressive at Wimbledon, considering how she choked away the French Open final, at one point looking to her coach during the match and asking why she's such a chicken. But this has been her best Wimbledon. And of all the women who have been No. 1 since Justine Henin quit last year, it turns out that Safina has the best staying power. And if she beats Venus, and then Serena in the final, the credibility will rush in.

"I cannot go on court thinking I lost already," Safina said. "No, definitely I think I have a chance there."

No chance. I'll take Venus.

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Latest Tennis Images

US Bob Bryan (R) and US Mike Bryan jubilates after winning against Brazil's Bruno Soares and Zimbabwe's Kevin Ullyett during their doubles match on Day 8 at the 2009 Wimbledon tennis championships at the All England Club on June 30, 2009. The event, the third Grand Slam tournament of 2009, runs from June 22 to July 5, 2009. Byan and Byan won 6/2,6/1,6/4. TOPSHOTS / AFP PHOTO / GLYN KIRK (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)

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A couple rest on the lawn beside Court 7 during a Men's Doubles match on the eighth day of the 2009 Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Tennis Club, in southwest London, on June 30, 2009. TOPSHOTS / AFP PHOTO / CARL DE SOUZA (Photo credit should read CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images)

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Serena Williams acknowledges the crowd after winning against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus on Day 8 at the 2009 Wimbledon tennis championships at the All England Club on June 30, 2009. Second seed Serena Williams reached the Wimbledon semi-finals with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Belarusian eighth seed Victoria Azarenka. AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)

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Serena Williams celebrates after winning against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus on Day 8 at the 2009 Wimbledon tennis championships at the All England Club on June 30, 2009. Second seed Serena Williams reached the Wimbledon semi-finals with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Belarusian eighth seed Victoria Azarenka. AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)

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A spectator uses a cushion to sheild himself from the sun during a doubles match between US Bob Bryan and US Mike Bryan versus Brazil's Bruno Soares and Zimbabwe's Kevin Ullyett during their doubles match on Day 8 at the 2009 Wimbledon tennis championships at the All England Club on June 30, 2009. The event, the third Grand Slam tournament of 2009, runs from June 22 to July 5, 2009. Byan and Byan won 6/2,6/1,6/4. AFP PHOTO / ADRIAN DENNIS (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)

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US Bob Bryan (R) and US Mike Bryan play against Brazil's Bruno Soares and Zimbabwe's Kevin Ullyett during their doubles match on Day 8 at the 2009 Wimbledon tennis championships at the All England Club on June 30, 2009. The event, the third Grand Slam tournament of 2009, runs from June 22 to July 5, 2009. Byan and Byan won 6/2,6/1,6/4. AFP PHOTO / ADRIAN DENNIS (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)

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US Bob Bryan (2L) and US Mike Bryan (R) shake hands after winning against Brazil's Bruno (L) Soares and Zimbabwe's Kevin Ullyett (2R) during their doubles match on Day 8 at the 2009 Wimbledon tennis championships at the All England Club on June 30, 2009. The event, the third Grand Slam tournament of 2009, runs from June 22 to July 5, 2009. Byan and Byan won 6/2,6/1,6/4. AFP PHOTO / ADRIAN DENNIS (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

6-30-2009 @ 11:49PM

needjj said...

the williams sisters always fake injuries in lesser tournaments so safina deserves to keep the number one ranking, she is not playing particularly well during this event, but she is more consistent.. the williams sisters don't attend enough events so they cannot argue with the point system

7-01-2009 @ 3:39PM

Sieben said...

What a joke, if its about points then the system is flawed ,Without a DOUBT Serena is the best woman's players in the world

7-01-2009 @ 7:32AM

obamaizamarxist said...

has Serena ever been tested for steroids? she looks like a middle linebacker in a skirt..

7-01-2009 @ 3:42PM

your hating, won't change the fact that she the best womans player in the world

7-01-2009 @ 4:09PM

I didn't say she wasn't..

7-01-2009 @ 8:34PM

all the women are tested ,there is no question that she is ALL WOMAN.

7-02-2009 @ 12:44AM

cjgdnight said...

I'd put $1000 on Serena over Federer in the best two out of three steel cage match. Wonder who Vegas favors.

7-01-2009 @ 8:55AM

henrybwiii said...

When will American TV show us the top men's tennis matches at Wimbledon. Watching Haas-Djokovic is nice, but Federer is live on Centre Court! If Wimbledon chooses Federer for Centre Court,they must belive that to be the marquee match. And the broadcasters haven't even mentioned the Federer match. Do they think we are idiots? Hopefully we will get Andy Roddick, the American, live and not Andy, the Brit.