Serena and the #1 Ranking

[szakharin]

Williams needs to win Open to be No. 1
Associated Press

Here's one indication of how complicated the WTA's computer ranking system is: The WTA itself has a tough time figuring everything out.

A day after saying that Serena Williams could move past No. 1 Dinara Safina in the Sept. 21 rankings by reaching the U.S. Open final, the tour reversed itself Tuesday.

Instead, the tour clarified, Williams could rise from No. 2 a week after the tournament ends "if [and only if]" she were to win the U.S. Open.

There has been discussion and debate about the rankings lately, because Williams has won three of the past four major championships to raise her career total to 11, while Safina is still seeking her first Grand Slam title.

Safina lost in the third round at Flushing Meadows. Williams was to play in the quarterfinals Tuesday night.

I don't understand. Serena won the Open last year. Therefore she has no points to gain. Safina lost in the Semis last year and this year she lost in the 3rd round. Semis = 900 pts. 3R = 160 points. So she loses 740 points and is down to 9070 (she currently has 9810). Serena currently has 8907 points. So how can Serena pass Dinara at all? What am I missing?

 

[jwbarrientos]

Dinaria plays more (a lot of more) tournaments than Serena.

 

[SLD76]

and plays them to win.

 

[Bloodshed]

Well if Serena would stop tanking her matches on non GS events and would care more about MS, tier 1 events, she would be #1.

 

[MEAC_ALLAMERICAN]

I don't understand. Serena won the Open last year. Therefore she has no points to gain. Safina lost in the Semis last year and this year she lost in the 3rd round. Semis = 900 pts. 3R = 160 points. So she loses 740 points and is down to 9070 (she currently has 9810). Serena currently has 8907 points. So how can Serena pass Dinara at all? What am I missing?

After the US Open last year Dinara played and won in Tokyo which carried about 430-450 points (not sure), but this tournament was upgraded to a premier event and will be held a little later. Therefore Safina will lose those points from her victory last year. She might also get it back depending on her and Serena's performace in Tokyo.

 

[FuriousYellow]

The press needs to give it a rest already. The #1 ranking runs a distant 2nd to winning majors for Serena and always will.

I don't blame her. She'll be 28 soon and holding #1 ranking means playing in a lot of tournaments to defend points when her main focus is defending her slam titles.

Instead of constantly chastising her for not giving her all in Tier 1 events, they should be commending her for being one of the few top players in both singles AND doubles.

 

[gflyer]

Well if Serena would stop tanking her matches on non GS events and would care more about MS, tier 1 events, she would be #1.

ditto.
this year I went to see the match she lost against Stosur at the Bank of the West Classic.
Serena just didn't want to be there.
If she really wants to get the #1 ranking she should make a little more effort on what she calls ironically "just tournaments".
If she plays only slams she needs to accept the fact that she might not get enough point to get the #1.

 

[bluetrain4]

ditto.
this year I went to see the match she lost against Stosur at the Bank of the West Classic.
Serena just didn't want to be there.
If she really wants to get the #1 ranking she should make a little more effort on what she calls ironically "just tournaments".
If she plays only slams she needs to accept the fact that she might not get enough point to get the #1.

I actually don't think Serena really wants the No 1 ranking.

 

[LafayetteHitter]

I actually don't think Serena really wants the No 1 ranking.

Comical at best!