Women’s tennis is ageing. The world No 1 and reigning French and US Open champion is 32-year-old Serena Williams, while the Australian Open champion, Li Na, will turn 32 in two weeks.
Marion Bartoli was 28 when she won Wimbledon last July.
Women’s tennis is greying and it is not a recent phenomenon.
Over the past 14 years, there have been only three winners under the age of 20 at the 57 grand slams staged – Maria Sharapova at the 2004 Wimbledon (age 17) and 2006 US Open, and Svetlana Kuznetsova (age 19) at the 2004 US Open. Over that same span, only two other teens reached a major final – Ana Ivanovic (2007 French Open) and Caroline Wozniacki (2009 US Open).
Jennifer Capriati broke into the top 10 at age 14 and won the 1992 Olympic gold at 16.
The youngest woman in the top 10 at the moment is Romanian Simona Halep (age 22) at No 10 and there is only one other teen in the top 20: 19th-ranked Eugenie Bouchard, who is 19.
Only four other players under 20 feature in the top 100: Madison Keys (No 37), Elina Svitolina (No 39), Annika Beck (No 55) and Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (No 73).
In recent times, the list of grand slam champions has been dominated by mums and senior pros.
Kim Clijsters came back to the tour after raising a child to win three majors.
Francisca Schiavone triumphed at the 2010 French Open, 18 days short of her 30th birthday.
Li Na was 29 when she took the French Open title in 2011, while Samantha Stosur was 27 when she beat Williams for the 2011 US Open crown.
Williams has won four of her 17 grand slams titles after turning 30.
Not long ago, players approaching 30 would have been considered over the hill. But the times are changing and two of the game’s veterans, who will be in action this week at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, believe better planning has helped extend careers.
“People are more smart about their schedule,” said Venus Williams, 33, Serena’s sister. “People try to play a little bit less, so they can play longer in their career.
“I think the current champions that are playing now, we all have played longer. So everyone else is thinking, ‘Yes, I can play as well’. So I think that’s great for tennis, just in general, to be able to keep the stars in the sport, and keep the game interesting.”
Experience is not necessarily a bad thing, either.
“There are lots of very, very good players who are now in the 30s or older,” said Stosur, 29. “So it’s very tough for the young teenagers now to come out here and play. They can’t dominate this sport like maybe 10 or 15 years ago.
“I think the experience plays a big part and I think as the years have gone on, all the players have got better at understanding at how to do a good schedule and look after themselves so that they are healthy and can play for a very long career.”
Graded WTA restrictions on teenagers, to stop early burnouts, have played a part in halting the tide of teenage prodigies. At age 14, players can appear in only eight pro tournaments a year, while a 15 year old cannot enter more than 10. At 16, players can enter a maximum of 17 events, and no more than 21 at age 17. The age restrictions end at 18.
The WTA’s ploy seems to be working and the emergence of the likes of Bouchard, Halep and Sloane Stephens over the past two years have sent pulses rising again.
Two of them – Halep and Stephens – have earned a place in the main draw of the Dubai Tennis Championships, while Bouchard is trying to make it through the qualifiers.
Halep had not won a WTA title until last June and started 2013 at No 47 in the world. The Romanian has won seven over the past nine months, however, and was voted WTA’s most-improved player last season. Last night, she defeated Angelique Kerber to win the title in Doha.
Stephens, 20, has yet to win a Tour title, though she is strongly fancied to become a major player, given her sporting heritage.
Stephens’s mother, Sybil Smith, was an All-American swimmer at Boston University, while her late father, John Stephens, was the offensive Rookie of the Year for the New England Patriots in 1988 and played six seasons in the NFL.
Bouchard, a Quebec native, is also seen as having a bright future after her run to the semi-finals at last month’s Australian Open.
“Eugenie Bouchard – a star is born!!” tweeted legend Martina Navratilova during the Australian Open, and Yevgeny Kafelnikov, a former men’s world No 1, got excited as well. “It’s a lethal combination! She is very good looking and attractive, and she plays fantastic tennis! Genie Bouchard!” the Russian tweeted.
Bouchard has collected a legion of fans since, including a supporters’ group calling itself the Genie Army, and given her looks, Bouchard’s agent claims she could be more marketable than Sharapova. Beyond those three, there are plenty of other names being mentioned as future stars. Keys, Svitolina, Beck and Schmiedlova feature regularly among them, as do Donna Vekic, 17, and Belinda Bencic, 16.
Victoria Azarenka and Radwanska are 24, Wozniacki and Petra Kvitova are 23, and Ivanovic (26) still has time to add to her 2008 French Open triumph.
So, while the reigning grand slam champions, Serena and Li Na, might not have too many years ahead of them, there are plenty of others in the talent pipeline.
arizvi@thenational.ae
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
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Dust storm
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
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- Tower Hamlets, London
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
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Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Key facilities
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog
Name: Capt Shadia Khasif
Position: Head of the Criminal Registration Department at Hatta police
Family: Five sons and three daughters
The first female investigator in Hatta.
Role Model: Father
She believes that there is a solution to every problem
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
The biog
Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists.
Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
Quick facts on cancer
- Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, after cardiovascular diseases
- About one in five men and one in six women will develop cancer in their lifetime
- By 2040, global cancer cases are on track to reach 30 million
- 70 per cent of cancer deaths occur in low and middle-income countries
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- At least one third of common cancers are preventable
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strategies
- The total annual economic cost of cancer is $1.16 trillion
MATCH INFO
Argentina 47 (Tries: Sanchez, Tuculet (2), Mallia (2), De La Fuente, Bertranou; Cons: Sanchez 5, Urdapilleta)
United States 17 (Tries: Scully (2), Lasike; Cons: MacGinty)
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
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What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
