(June 22, 2014) Profiles of the top Women’s Singles contenders for 2014 Wimbledon. Note: Grand Slam records for main draw matches only. – by Jack Cunniff http://twitter.com/jrcunniff
1.Serena Williams
2014 Record: 24-4
Grand Slam Record: 250-38
Wimbledon Record: 70-9
Wimbledon Best Result: Won (2002, ’03, ’09, ’10, ‘12)
Fast Fact: Serena has lost before the Quarterfinals of the last two Grand Slam events she’s played; the last time she lost before the Quarterfinals in three straight Grand Slams was 2005 Wimbledon – 2006 Australian Open.
2. Li Na
2014 Record: 26-6
Grand Slam Record: 88-30
Wimbledon Record: 17-7
Wimbledon Best Result: QF (2006, ’10, ‘13)
Fast Fact: Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam or WTA Premier event in which Li Na hasn’t reached the Semifinals.
3. Simona Halep
2014 Record: 26-9
Grand Slam Record: 20-16
Wimbledon Record: 2-3
Wimbledon Best Result: 2R (2011, ‘13)
Fast Fact: Halep has earned as many Grand Slam victories in her last two Slam events (10) as she had earned in her first 14.
4. Agnieszka Radwanska
2014 Record: 32-12
Grand Slam Record: 86-32
Wimbledon Record: 28-8
Wimbledon Best Result: RU (2012)
Fast Fact: Radwanska has lost to players ranked outside the Top Twenty in her last four consecutive Grand Slam events, the first time that’s happened in her career.
5. Maria Sharapova
2014 Record: 31-6
Grand Slam Record: 159-38
Wimbledon Record: 38-10
Wimbledon Best Result: Won (2004)
Fast Fact: In her last seven Wimbledon appearances, Sharapova has reached the Quarterfinals only once (2011, runner-up).
6. Petra Kvitova
2014 Record: 18-10
Grand Slam Record: 56-23
Wimbledon Record: 20-5
Wimbledon Best Result: W (2011)
Fast Fact: Kvitova is tied with Serena Williams for the most Wimbledon match wins (20) since 2010
7. Jelena Jankovic
2014 Record: 30-14
Grand Slam Record: 102-43
Wimbledon Record: 17-10
Wimbledon Best Result: 4R (2006, ‘07, ’08, ‘10)
Fast Fact: Jankovic has lost 6 of her last 7 grass court matches, dating back to the 2012 Birmingham event.
8. Victoria Azarenka
2014 Record: 7-4
Grand Slam Record: 96-31
Wimbledon Record: 21-8
Wimbledon Best Result: SF (2011, ‘12)
Fast Fact: Since reaching the U.S. Open final nine months ago, Azarenka has won only eight matches.
9. Angelique Kerber
2014 Record: 30-14
Grand Slam Record: 42-26
Wimbledon Record: 8-6
Wimbledon Best Result: SF (2012)
Fast Fact: Kerber has reached the 4R in eight of her last nine Grand Slam events, failing to do so only at 2013 Wimbeldon (l. 2R, Kanepi)
10. Dominika Cibulkova
2014 Record: 26-13
Grand Slam Record: 51-27
Wimbledon Record: 10-6
Wimbledon Best Result: QF (2011)
Fast Fact: Cibulkova’s last win over a player ranked in the Top 50 was in March (Miami).
11. Ana Ivanovic
2014 Record: 37-9
Grand Slam Record: 95-37
Wimbledon Record: 21-9
Wimbledon Best Result: SF (2007)
Fast Fact: Ivanovic is ranked 11th, just one position out of the Top Ten; her last appearance in the Top Ten was over 5 years ago (May, 2009).
12. Flavia Pennetta
2014 Record: 21-10
Grand Slam Record: 65-43
Wimbledon Record: 17-11
Wimbledon Best Result: 4R (2013)
Fast Fact: Pennetta reached the 4th round last year after an absence of 7 years (2006), the longest absence between 4th round appearances since Amy Frazier (1996-2004).
13. Eugenie Bouchard
2014 Record: 30-13
Grand Slam Record: 14-5
Wimbledon Record: 2-1
Wimbledon Best Result: 3R (2013)
Fast Fact: Bouchard is the Wimbledon Junior Girls Champion from 2012, and is looking to become only the third woman to win both the Girls and Ladies titles (Hingis, Mauresmo).
16. Caroline Wozniacki
2014 Record: 18-10
Grand Slam Record: 70-29
Wimbledon Record: 13-7
Wimbledon Best Result: 4R (2009, ’10, ‘11)
Fast Fact: Wozniacki has failed to reach the 4th round at five straight Grand Slam events, the longest drought of her career.
19. Sabine Lisicki
2014 Record: 8-8
Grand Slam Record: 40-23
Wimbledon Record: 19-5
Wimbledon Best Result: RU (2013)
Fast Fact: Lisicki has defeated the French Open holder in the last three Wimbledon events (def. Li, 2011; def. Sharapova, 2012; def. Serena Williams 2013).
30. Venus Williams
2014 Record: 15-7
Grand Slam Record: 217-55
Wimbledon Record: 71-11
Wimbledon Best Result: W (2000, ’01, ’05, ’07, ‘08)
Fast Fact: Venus has 71 career match wins at Wimbledon, one more than Serena, and fourth in the open era behind Navratilova (121), Evert (98), and Graf (74).