WTA 2024. Season Disappointments

Streaming Australian Open Women live tennis

🎾 Camila Osorio vs Maria Sakkari

* You can watch and bet on this match live here..

Who has been the biggest disappointment of the WTA season? The truth is that no one comes to mind immediately, although I must admit that Ons Jabeur could easily fit that bill. And why don't I mention her in the article? Because the little she competed, she did so while half-injured, so we cannot even consider her for this debate. Apart from the Tunisian, who is currently ranked outside the top 40, we list five women who surely won't be going on vacation too happy with their last season. However, each with their own reasons and expectations.

MARIA SAKKARI (#32)

I don't know what people expect from Sakkari; perhaps it would be interesting to conduct a referendum to gauge public opinion. In my case, someone who has been World No. 3, I will always expect greatness, at least occasionally. At 29 years old, the Greek is a shadow of her former self, denied victory and continually facing her inner demons. This year, she also had bad luck with injuries, but this wasn't her main opponent. She reached the final of the Indian Wells WTA 1000 in March and that's where she stayed; we didn't hear anything more from her until she ultimately decided to stop after the US Open to heal her pains (and her sorrows). Looking at her performance over the last two seasons, it's understandable if some wonder if we will see Maria back at the top with the best.

CAROLINE GARCIA (#48)

From a case that some consider lost to a case where only a few still hold hope. It's amazing how tennis works, how from the greatest achievement of your professional life, you can spiral into negativity that ends up consuming your career. This is what happened to Caroline Garcia after winning the 2022 WTA Finals in Fort Worth: she was never the same again. At 31, she ends the season with a 17-17 record, with her best results being semifinals in Rouen and Guadalajara. Dreaming of seeing her back in the top 5 seems like a utopia, but in her case, we would settle for seeing her smile and enjoy herself on the court again. She has been training with Albert Costa in Barcelona in recent weeks, searching for the ingredients that can bring her back to a state of inner peace.

NAOMI OSAKA (#58)

Yes, I know many of you may be surprised, but allow me to add this name to the list. I am aware that the Japanese player did not compete in any tournaments in 2023, as she became a mother for the first time, and I can even agree that consistency was never her strong suit. For this reason, I could never demand a flawless calendar from her in 2024, where consistency was the main ingredient. On the contrary, what I expected from her was a standout performance, just one, preferably in a significant setting. With a record of 22-18, Osaka goes on vacation without having reached a single semifinal. Her best results? Quarterfinals in Doha and 's-Hertogenbosch. Moreover, whenever she had the opportunity to be on a relevant stage, she never lived up to the expectations. Fortunately, she is still only 27 years old and has all the time in the world to reclaim the throne that once belonged to her.

VERONIKA KUDERMETOVA (#73)

A mix of injuries and personal issues, this could be the combination that has ultimately led to the downfall of the elder Kudermetova. A woman who once touched the top 10, even though she was far from the level of the best, brave is the one who dared to win a point against her slowly. No one expected to see her above that level, perhaps they didn't even think she could stay in the elite, but falling out of the top 70 is a vast distance. With a best result of reaching the semifinals in Seoul, Veronika is the only player in this article to end the season with a negative win-loss record (18-25). Honestly, I lack pieces to understand exactly what happened, so I prefer to think that it was just a rebound year after so many victories. I count on her for 2025.

BIANCA ANDREESCU (#131)

You need a lot of patience to keep waiting for the best years of this astounding player. And when I say astounding, I mean it positively, as few players this decade have shown the ease and variety that Bianca Andreescu has in her wrist. Only then can you win a US Open at 19, defeating Serena Williams in the final. But five seasons have passed since then, and we haven't heard from her since, except for the countless injuries she has suffered and how distracted she is with non-sports-related matters. In 2024, on top of being a bad year, it was also short. She played only 21 matches (11-10) and reached the final on the grass of 's-Hertogenbosch as her best memory. Currently outside the top 100, it feels like it's not the first time – nor the second – that I put Bianca in these types of articles. Perhaps it's just me, still having faith in her.

What do you think? Who was the player that disappointed you the most in the 2024 season?

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, WTA 2024. Decepciones de la temporada