WTA Players who occupy the Good not Great space(?)

[RyanShoz]

I'm going to open this thread by saying it is largely a vibe-based discussion, but I think it's something I've been unable to put into words and would like input.

There are a lot of players that I think of and reflect on their careers, both active and former, and they seem to be grouped together in my mind for some odd reason. These players usually have some common features that I'll list below but I don't think they necessarily have to have all or even any of these traits to fit the description. I'll give some examples of who I think of as well but generally, I feel as though they are the B team of the WTA if that makes any sense, the players that many fans know but still exist on the periphery.

Example Traits:
- Unique Game styles
- Career High Ranking in the Top 20ish
- Gave trouble to top players
- Have had big results in small bursts (Slam QF, 1000 title/final, run a title from quallies etc.)

Example Players:
- Hsieh su-wei (singles only, doubles legend ofc)
- Alize Cornet
- Camila Giorgi
- Aravane Rezai
- Kaia Kanepi
- Misaki Doi

I'm not sure what, if any, thoughts people have about this I just feel it is a phenomenon of players who get caught in the big potential/fan favorite pool without ever really having results that match up with how legendary their status is. This post was mostly inspired by reflecting on a likely retirement from Cornet soon and how my immediate reaction was that the sport was losing a legend, yet when you reflect on her career what was it that makes her stand out? For Hsieh, it could be her double-handed play, great humor, and impressive upsets/fights with the top players. Cornet, I went back to her Rome final and the emotional run at AO '22. Giorgi is easily WC '18 or her IW match with Maria, Montreal '21 was nice too. Rezai is a player whom I don't have much familiarity with but she fits in with this group in my mind, Elite trophy and Madrid are big results but her ranking never followed suit. Kanepi of course an absolute nightmare for any seeded player and someone you could count on to make a QF when you least expect it. Doi is likely the least impressive career wise on this group but her battles against the top 10 signify the not-quite-elite nature of this group.

 

[johnmccabe]

Muchova

 

[RyanShoz]

Muchova

She crossed my mind while making this list but I feel as though she has achieved quite a lot more than these players. She seems to me to be just above this level of play alongside players like Mertens, Pavlyuchenkova, and Vesnina. Very similar in terms of Top-20 ish and one or two big results but Muchova has made the semifinals at both AO and USO, the final at RG, 1000 Final, and two WC QFs. I feel as though she is too real of a title contender to exist in this space. Never really would bank on Cornet, Giorgi, etc. to win a slam whereas Muchova has a real chance on all surfaces.

 

[Kralingen]

Just off the top of my head:

Allison Riske
Gisela Dulko
Rybarikova
Sabine Lisicki
Ajla Tomjlanovic
Anna Smashnova (GOAT tennis name)
Coco Vandeweghe
Maria Kirilenko
Timea Bacsinszky

 

[Dominic & Andrey]

Sorana Cirstea
Petra Martic
Shelby Rogers
Taylor Townsend
Katerina Siniakova

 

[Kralingen]

Just sent myself down a Lisicki rabbit hole. Maybe I shouldn’t have said Lisicki. No she was too good for that list. Best serve behind the Williams sisters of the generation.

I remember betting on this match in one of my first tennis bets ever. If only I would’ve known…

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Just off the top of my head:

Allison Riske
Gisela Dulko
Rybarikova
Sabine Lisicki
Ajla Tomjlanovic
Anna Smashnova (GOAT tennis name)
Coco Vandeweghe
Maria Kirilenko
Timea Bacsinszky

Lisicki would be the 2013 Wimbledon champion if the world was a fair place.

Beating Schiavone, Vesnina, Stosur, Serena, Kanepi and Radanska all in succession only to lose to freaking Bartoli in the Wimbledon final. Meanwhile Marion had the weakest draw to man with Knapp, Sloane and Flipkens to make the final. Weak.

She was a queen on grass, really got unlucky.

 

[Wander]

Classic example Monica Niculescu:

 

[Bill Lobsalot]

Danielle Collins.

 

[RyanShoz]

Just off the top of my head:

Allison Riske
Gisela Dulko
Rybarikova
Sabine Lisicki
Ajla Tomjlanovic
Anna Smashnova (GOAT tennis name)
Coco Vandeweghe
Maria Kirilenko
Timea Bacsinszky

I would argue that Vandeweghe and Bacsinszky were too high level for this list as well, peak Vandeweghe was a very dangerous player who had some insane power. I agree that Lisicki is def too good for this list, I'd also argue Kirilenko is better than this list from her staying power at the top and admittedly early retirement. Bacsinszky for me is one of the best clay courters of the 2010s behind actual RG champs and Sloane.

 

[RyanShoz]

Danielle Collins.

Maybe I am biased (go UVA! Wahoowa) but Collins is way above this and this year has proved it. She is a major finalist, has made a SF and QF outside of that, has won a 1000, has a ton of top 10 wins, etc. Likely, she will even qualify for WTA finals this year so I think if she isn't already she will make it clear she's above this.

 

[Kralingen]

I would argue that Vandeweghe and Bacsinszky were too high level for this list as well, peak Vandeweghe was a very dangerous player who had some insane power. I agree that Lisicki is def too good for this list, I'd also argue Kirilenko is better than this list from her staying power at the top and admittedly early retirement. Bacsinszky for me is one of the best clay courters of the 2010s behind actual RG champs and Sloane.

Damn dude well **** me I guess. Sorry

 

[Wander]

I would argue that Vandeweghe and Bacsinszky were too high level for this list as well, peak Vandeweghe was a very dangerous player who had some insane power. I agree that Lisicki is def too good for this list, I'd also argue Kirilenko is better than this list from her staying power at the top and admittedly early retirement. Bacsinszky for me is one of the best clay courters of the 2010s behind actual RG champs and Sloane.

I disagree. All of those players had careers comparable to Alize Cornet who is in the OP. If Alize isn't too good, neither are they. Good players, none of them great.

 

[Break To Win]

Anke Huber

 

[RyanShoz]

I disagree. All of those players had careers comparable to Alize Cornet who is in the OP. If Alize isn't too good, neither are they. Good players, none of them great.

Bacsinszky and Vandeweghe both made multiple major semifinals, no one on the list made a single one. I'll cede Kirilenko because upon further thought she isn't much different compared to Kanepi. Keep in mind Alize has only made 1 quarterfinal ever and was never top ten while Coco and Bacsinszky were both #9.

 

[boredone3456]

Ai Sugiyama- obviously only discussing singles play
Magdalena Maleeva- I know she got to #4 in the world but only has 1 major QF in a very long career...2 tier I titles are impressive I guess but overall I still feel she warrants inclusion.
Lisa Raymond- Obviously only discussing singles play
Tvetsana Pironkova- Wimbledon wonder for sure...elsewhere? it all kind of balances out and puts her on this list for me.