Tennis- WTA Championships in Istanbul

This week sees the much anticipated WTA Championships in Istanbul finally get underway. This year is sure to be one of the best years of this event. The quality is sensational this year with eight very good players each capable of winning this event. The finalists from all four Grand Slams are here and I can't imagine a better field for the championships. I think were in for a stunning week of tennis. So let's get into it and preview the action and see who the likely winner is.

           All eight players are have played great tennis this year and both groups could have any two players advance to the semi finals. In group A I think we have the most competitive group the year end championships have ever seen, in either women's or men's. Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka are without doubt the two best players in the world and they're joined by Angelique Kerber and Li Na. Any one of those four could win this tournament out so this group is likely to be incredibly high quality. In group B we also have four very strong players in Maria Sharapova, Agnieszka Radwanska, Petra Kvitova and Sara Errani. Normally players who avoided being in a group with Williams and Azarenka would consider themselves lucky but there is no guaranteed wins in group B either. The women's game is in such a strong place right now that next year is looking like being even better than this year which four weeks ago I would have said was impossible. With players like Sam Stosur, Caroline Wozniacki and Ana Ivanovic all returning to their best it looks like easy matches at the top of the game could be a thing of the past. 

           For this week it's hard to look beyond Williams and Azarenka. They are playing such great tennis that they're bringing each other to new levels. Their US Open final was incredible to watch and it was the first time Williams has been matches stroke for stroke when playing at the top of her game. The dark horse in their group is Kerber. She has beaten Williams this year and has the power to match those at the top and this  tournament could be the start of great things for her. She will need to beat either Williams or Azarenka to qualify though and that might be her problem. Li Na is a top player but I don't think she will beat either of the top two and Kerber will be a very tricky obstacle. With Williams likely to be a bit rusty there is a gap for Kerber to push through and I think she might take it. I see Kerber and Azarenka making it through from this group unless Serena hits the ground running but history often shows she takes a few weeks to get back into her groove. 

             From the other group I think Sharapova is in dire need of a strong performance. She has not performed in a big tournament since the French Open and I see this tournament as make or break for her. She is outplayed by the big players too often and needs to assert her power here to lay down a marker for 2013. Radwanska has struggled a bit since the Summer. I don't ever get the feeling she is going to win the big matches against the big players and that's something she needs to overcome as soon as possible. I really like Kvitova this week. I think she's been slowly building her way back up and these courts could really suit her. I like the way Errani makes up for her shortage of power but I think she will struggle this week trying to keep up with the big hitting. I think Sharapova and Kvitova will make the semi finals from this group but it could go either way depending on who has the most desire this late in the year.

           Picking who qualifies from the group is tough but trying to pick one player to win the event is even tougher. If Williams is at her best very little can actually stop her but I don't see her at a high level this week. Sharapova was making giant leaps in the Spring but mentally doesn't seem to have enough to win big matches since then. If she plays her best then she can't be ignored. Kvitova has the serve and power to trouble anyone, while Kerber has got the talent to compete. Radwanska hasn't proven she can win a major title and Li and Errani won't consecutively beat the very best. So we're left with one player, Azarenka. I think Vika has the game and mentality to dominate the game. Watching her in the first eight weeks this year she was spectacular and seeing her in New York confirmed she really has turned a corner in her career. For years she lacked the mental strength to win big events but she now looks so confident in herself and it's hard to see her being beaten any time she steps on to the court. She gets in the zone well before her matches and watching her prepare is worth the entrance fee alone, I like her chances of sweeping through this event and set herself up for yet another huge year in 2013.