Betting tips / Guy McCrea / 17 October 2011 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

Agnieszka Radwanska has been the standout performer on the WTA in recent weeks, winning in both Tokyo and Beijing. Guy McCrea asks if the Pole can now become a Grand Slam threat in 2012...

Conduct a poll of the best women to watch on the WTA and Agnieszka Radwanska would surely be near the top of the list. Not blessed with brute power or a huge physique, the Pole instead wins her matches via a more delicate touch. For me, oft-cited comparisons with Martina Hingis are wide of the mark as the Swiss Miss was truly one of a kind. But nevertheless, amongst the current glut of one-dimensional ball-bashers on the WTA, Radwanska's clever court craft is particularly welcome.

Radwanska (currently priced around [23.0] to win the 2012 Australian Open) turned pro back in 2005 and has featured in and around the WTA top 15 for over three years. She has also reached four Grand Slam quarter finals - but no further. The criticism has always been that for all her guile, Radwanska has been too lightweight - both physically and mentally - to overcome the established performers at the Slams.

The thing is, there's considerable evidence over the past few months that Radwanska can change this perception. She will never hit opponents off the court - but what the 22 year old showed in both Tokyo and Beijing is that she has added more power to her game now. The second serve is still weak, but otherwise she has come on in leaps and bounds.

The top women always found it tough to tackle Radwanska's clever shotmaking and superb defensive skills. But they now also have to deal with the Pole's improved ability to smoke forehand winners. She is able to attack shorter balls more easily than in the past. Perhaps most crucially, she now seems to have more belief in herself and her ability to win matches that go the distance. After going 5-9 in three set affairs earlier in 2011, Radwanska has now won her last four, including against Andrea Petkovic ([12.0] to win in Melbourne) in their terrific China Open final clash.

Now back in the top ten, Radwanska has qualified for this month's prestigious WTA Championships. The Pole has featured in the year-end finals twice before - but both times (in 2008 and 2009) she appeared as an alternate, not an automatic entry. In her present form Radwanska is a title threat in Istanbul - especially with questions surrounding many of the other qualifiers, such as world number one Caroline Wozniacki and 2004 titlist Maria Sharapova. Like the Russian, my main concern about Radwanska is simply that she might be fatigued after so much tennis. Her right shoulder remained taped throughout the Asian swing. But to be honest, the same question could be applied to all eight finalists after another arduous campaign.

What about Radwanska's chances of a maiden Grand Slam title in 2012? Well, obviously the duels she will have with her premier foes in Istanbul can be of some psychological importance going into early next year. But neither the Williams sisters nor Kim Clijsters will be at the WTA Championships, so a complete analysis is difficult.
Radwanska is the only one of this year's WTA Championships finalists not to have reached a Grand Slam semi-final before. Many thought she might at last month's U.S. Open - instead Radwanska endured a third round shock defeat to eventual semi-finalist Angelique Kerber. That was a real off-day for the Pole, especially when viewed in the context of how she has performed since Wimbledon. Definitely another opportunity to break new ground missed.

There is reason to believe that 2012 will prove different though. Partly because of all the improvements she has clearly made to her game. But also because it is far from certain that Serena, Venus and Kim will all be fit, healthy and motivated for all the Slams next year. Of course, Serena ([3.7] favourite to win the Australian Open) made a superb comeback over the summer and is still a huge threat - but now post 30, time will begin to thin even for one of the sport's all-time greats. Venus cannot stay healthy long enough to really contend, while Clijsters missed most of the season through injury after winning the Australian Open at the start of the year.

Of course, the WTA does now have a trio of new Grand Slam champions as a result of this unpredictable season. Li Na, Petra Kvitova and Sam Stosur all own an advantage over Radwanska, Wozniacki and the other pretenders in that they know they can deliver on the biggest stage. But little in their respective performances since tasting Grand Slam glory suggests any will consistently dominate at the majors in the way that the Williams sisters, Clijsters, or the retired Justine Henin did in the past.

It all means that the new and improved Radwanska is as well-placed as anyone to make her major breakthrough in 2012. Another new Grand Slam winner on the WTA come the end of January?

Don't rule it out.