tacou
G.O.A.T.
There are frequently conversations about Indian Wells, and to a lesser extent Miami (these days anyways), being a 5th slam, including this ongoing one. However, these threads almost always view things from an ATP perspective.
Women's majors are best of 3 sets, just like the masters, making me wonder, is winning IW (especially unseeded) a comparable, or even equal, achievement to winning the AO or USO on the WTA tour?
Consider Daniela Hantuchova. Her career highlights are far and away victories at 2002 and 2007 Indian Wells. Here's who she beat:
2002, seeded 18th--Bye, Poutchek, (16) Schett, (3) Henin, (12) Raymond, Gagliardi, (2) Hingis [top seed Clisjters lost in the second round, 4th seed Seles lost in the semis)
2007, seeded 14th--Bye, Kanepi, (18) Schiavone, (3) Hingis, (11) Pe'er, (12) Na, (2) Kuznetsova [top seed Sharapova lost in the fourth round]
I think the biggest knock is that the Williams sisters, the two best players of recent times, were not playing the event for so long. Still, outside of prestige/historical significance, is it much harder to win one of the hard court majors compared to IW, or Miami?
Women's majors are best of 3 sets, just like the masters, making me wonder, is winning IW (especially unseeded) a comparable, or even equal, achievement to winning the AO or USO on the WTA tour?
Consider Daniela Hantuchova. Her career highlights are far and away victories at 2002 and 2007 Indian Wells. Here's who she beat:
2002, seeded 18th--Bye, Poutchek, (16) Schett, (3) Henin, (12) Raymond, Gagliardi, (2) Hingis [top seed Clisjters lost in the second round, 4th seed Seles lost in the semis)
2007, seeded 14th--Bye, Kanepi, (18) Schiavone, (3) Hingis, (11) Pe'er, (12) Na, (2) Kuznetsova [top seed Sharapova lost in the fourth round]
I think the biggest knock is that the Williams sisters, the two best players of recent times, were not playing the event for so long. Still, outside of prestige/historical significance, is it much harder to win one of the hard court majors compared to IW, or Miami?