Here is the fifth instalment explaining the top ten players on the WTA tour in 2010.
6. Samantha Stosur
Born on 30 March 1984 in the city of Brisbane, Samantha Stosur is a professional tennis player from Australia. The right-hander is currently ranked number six in the South African Airways WTA list.
The Australian started her 2010 campaign by playing at the Medibank International, a warm up event to the Australian Open where she was bundled out of the competition in the first round in two sets. The final match score was 6–3, 6–1.
Seeded thirteen at the year’s opening Grand Slam in Melbourne, Stosur got the better of Han Xinyun in the opening round in three sets. It was followed by another victory over Kristina Barrois with a score line of 7–5 6–3. In the third round, the right-hander
toppled Alberta Brianti in straight sets before losing at the hands of eventual champion Serena Williams. Despite her fourth round exit, she improved her rankings to number eleven in the world.
Her next competition was the Dubai Tennis tournament where Stosur was seeded number nine to win the title. However, she was upset in the first round in three sets at the hands of Tathiana Garbin.
After receiving a first round bye at the BNP Paribas Open, the 1.72-meter tall Stosur overpowered Julie Coin, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova as well as Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez to make her way into the quarters. In the final eight round, the Australian thrashed
out Vera Zvonareva of Russia in two sets to reach her first semis at the event. The Australian at last was hammered down in the final four round by the ultimate winner Jelena Jankovic in two sets.
At the clay court French Open tournament in Roland Garros, the top ranked Australian on the tour, was seeded number seven to win the title. She did well to topple Simona Halep, Rossana de los Rios, Anastasia Pivovarova, Justine Henin, Serena Williams and
Jelena Jankovic to make her way into her first Grand Slam final. In the title battle, she was at last dismissed by Francesca Schiavone of Italy in two sets.
The Queensland resident next competed at the AEGON International where she finished semi-finalist to Ekaterina Makarova who brushed her aside in straight sets.
At the grass court Grand Slam tournament in London, Samantha Stosur stunned everyone by suffering a first round defeat at the hands of Kaia Kanepi in two sets.
Former world number five was the top seed at the 2010 Bank of the West Classic where she reached the semi final round after beating Christina McHale, Yanina Wickmayer. In the final four battle, she was dispatched off by Victoria Azarenka.
Her other season highlights include semi-final run at the WTA Tour Tournament and quarterfinal appearances at the US Open and 2010 HP Open.
She finished the season ranked number six in the South African Airways WTA list with a total of 4,982 ranking points on the tour. Moreover, the Australian was also the only contender this season to beat both current top ranked players Serena Williams and
Caroline Wozniacki. Stosur also had the best percentage of points earned on second serve among her fellow players on the tour.
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