Starting on December 7—the 25th day left in 2010—TENNIS.com will countdown from the year-end No. 25 on both tours with "The Last Word," a look back at the year that was and a look ahead at the season to come. Here's who we've looked at so far.
Best of 2010
Easy call here. Rezai became a known commodity—and a trendy pick at the French Open—after winning the big clay-court tournament in Madrid. Her first-round win over Justine Henin (4-6, 7-5, 6-0) may have given her a smidge of confidence. She went on to beat Jelena Jankovic in the quarters and Venus Williams in the final.
Worst of 2010
Rezai reached the third round of Roland Garros, where she fell to Nadia Petrova in a 6-7 (2), 6-4, 10-8 marathon. It turned out to be her best result at a Slam. Her low point came at the U.S. Open, where she fell to American teenager Beatrice Capra—then ranked No. 371—in the second round.
Year in Review
Tennis fans may have known Rezai’s name through scoreboard-watching and the WTA rankings, which she’s climbed in recent years. But it wasn’t until Madrid that many of those fans finally saw her power-driven game. Her shots found their marks then, but they were also her undoing this season. When it came time for hard-court tennis, Rezai was a frequent early-round casualty. You wonder if she needs the extra time afforded on clay to properly set up her potent strikes. She clearly digs the dirt; after a second-round loss at Wimbledon, Rezai played two more clay events (Bastad, which she won, and Palermo) before taking to American asphalt.
See for Yourself
Rezai was relentless against Venus in the Madrid final, fighting off multiple set points before winning in straights:
The Last Word
Many WTA baseliners live for accuracy and lack for power. It’s the opposite with Rezai, and that can separate her from the pack in the rankings, too, if she becomes more consistent. Expect her to feast on the competition in clay events, but her play on other surfaces will determine whether she’s a legitimate Top 10 contender.
—Ed McGrogan