As the competitive manifestation of the rankings system, it is hardly surprising that Serena Williams has a relatively poor record in the WTA Tour Championships. Injuries and a selective tour schedule have meant the 15-time slam winner has only qualified for the Year-End event six times, winning twice.
This is perhaps the one source of regret for Williams in her decision not to slog around the globe in the search for ranking points like her rivals do. After missing the 2010 and 2011 tournaments, she has the chance in Istanbul to join Monica Seles and Kim Clijsters on three titles. She is hot favourite in the tennis betting odds to do so.
The format does not suit Williams in that the small, strong field does not allow her to ease into the event like she does at majors, but her form this season means she should hit the ground running. 53 wins from 57 is a daunting statistic for her rivals, who between them have won only five their 40 matches against the world number three.
Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova, seemingly the only viable challengers to Williams, have respective head-to-head records against her of 1-10 and 2-9, the Russian’s sole hard court success against Williams coming in the 2004 Tour Championships final. They will need to be at their best.
It is hard to look beyond this year’s major winners – the last six Tour Championships winners have claimed the title after winning at least one major that season – and it is perhaps a relief for the WTA that the clear best three players in the world are ranked as such.
Of the other participants, only debutants, Sara Errani and Angelique Kerber, will arrive in Turkey with confidence, but tour consistency counts for little in the ultra-competitive round robin format.
Holder, Petra Kvitova, has been inconsistent all season and will not prosper in an event where any off-day is punished, whilst Li Na and Agnieszka Radwanska will recall disappointing efforts last year that produced one win apiece.
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