Dec 02 2008
Young Tennis Amazons
Five teenagers have finished the 2008 tennis season ranked in the Top 20 of the WTA world rankings. The under-20s also have an impressive record as junior champions.
Caroline Wozniacki from Denmark and Alizé Cornet from France are the youngest, both 18 years old. Caroline was the Wimbledon junior girls champion in 2006 and Alizé the Roland Garros junior girls champion in 2007. Wozniacki has beaten four Top 10 players in 2008 and risen in the rankings from No. 26 to No. 10. Cornet has beaten two and risen from 55 to 16.
Victoria Azarenka from Belarus is 19 years old and her 2008 rise was from No. 30 to No.15. Victoria was both the Australian junior girls champion and US Open junior girls champion in 2005.
Dominika Cibulkova from Slovakia, also 19, rose from No. 51 to No. 19 and outplayed many in 2008, with three wins over Top 5 players: Elena Dementieva, Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic
Agnieszka Radwanska from Poland, also 19, has a younger sister Urszula (17 years old), also a tennis player and the 2007 Wimbledon junior girls champion. Agnieszka won the same title two years earlier, plus the Roland Garros junior girls champion in 2006. Agnieszka also played Fed Cup in 2006, winning one singles match and one doubles match with her sister. Her 2008 rise saw Agnieszka rise from No. 26 to No. 10 in the WTA Tour world rankings.
The photo shows the Radwanska sisters in Melbourne, Australia, in 2008 (Agnieszka on left).
The future of tennis looks bright with so many young Amazons on the horizon!
