The late-summer and fall stretch hasn’t been as kind, as she finished the regular season on a 10-match losing streak. She hasn't won a match since Washington in July, having only just managed to win a set in Moscow. Still, the 24-year-old just cracked the Top 10 for the first time.
The Singapore alternate isn’t the only player to hit such a rough patch. She's tied at 10 with Jelena Jankovic, who recovered from the hiccup to reach No. 1 just two years later.
What’s important is being aware of one of the most-famous clichés of them all: There’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
For instance, look at former pro Vince Spadea. From October 1999 to June 2000, the American lost 21 matches in a row, setting an Open-Era record, before finally breaking the streak at Wimbledon. He built his ranking back up playing ATP Challengers over a few years and in 2004, he won his first—and only—career singles ATP title. Nearly a year after that, he reached his career-high ranking of 18.
Another American, Donald Young, also went through a confidence-sapping streak of his own, a year after it looked like he was ready to meet the expectations thrust upon him at an early age. In 2011, Young reached the fourth round of the US Open and his first career final. In 2012, he dropped 17 matches in a row. After breaking the streak, he posted some steady results and now it appears he’s discovered a level of comfort on the tour.
