Revolving-door No.1s

No.1-ranked women are becoming like buses on Broadway: there’ll be another one in a minute. Blame it on Justine Henin. Since the last dominant No.1 abdicated in May 2008, the keys to the penthouse have gone back and forth 17 times among eight women: Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Serena Williams, Dinara Safina, Caroline Wozniacki, Kim Clijsters and incumbent Victoria Azarenka. In 2008 alone, five women held the top spot.

Playing hot-potato with the No.1 ranking, for whatever reason, is like minority government: it’s tolerated, but not indefinitely. Top players have to prove why they’re up there, or they lose credibility and fans lose interest.

Kim Clijsters Kim Clijsters