2009 SUMMARY
Titles Won: Stuttgart, Roland Garros, Beijing
Best Grand Slam Result: Champion: Roland Garros
Win/Loss Record: 42-14
Record Against Top 10: 6-3
SEC History: Making fifth appearance; yet to pass RR stage
Kuznetsova's Sony Ericsson WTA Tour bio
Svetlana Kuznetsova proved five years ago she has what it takes to win the sport's biggest prizes, but it was a long time between drinks of her first Grand Slam win at the US Open in 2004 and the next at Roland Garros this year. But when she finally did it she did it in the best possible style, with Serena Williams (who had beaten her in the quarters at the Australian Open) and Dinara Safina both among her victims on the red clay.
That win - her 11th Sony Ericsson WTA Tour title - went a long way toward ensuring Kuznetsova would qualify for her fifth season-ending Championships, but there were other notable triumphs. Boosted by a new training partnership with former Tour player Larisa Savchenko-Neiland, Kuznetsova also beat Safina in the final at the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart - becoming the first player ever to win a Tour event indoors on clay - and earlier this month captured the China Open in Beijing, beating Agnieszka Radwanska in the final.
Photo Gallery: Kuznetsova's 2009 season
The Beijing win means Kuznetsova is the only player in this year's Sony Ericsson Championships field who arrives on a winning streak. She also has a healthy year-to-date win-loss record of 42-14. However, for a player of her caliber, five opening match losses are a puzzling blot on Kuznetsova's copybook: Dubai, Indian Wells (where the loss to world No.107 Urszula Radwanska ranks as the 'worst' of her year), Madrid, Eastbourne, Toronto and Tokyo.
And, after her clay court exploits, her summer was lackluster. At Wimbledon she fell to an inspired Sabine Lisicki in the third round, and thereafter failed to justify her seeding at three lead-ins as well as the US Open itself. Still, her conquerors included Samantha Stosur, Amélie Mauresmo (with whom she won the Miami doubles earlier this year) and Caroline Wozniacki in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows. Far from embarrassing losses, but upsets on paper. Kuznetsova actually seemed to surprise herself in Beijing, given her poor showing at Tokyo the week before.
On the upside, the althletic 24-year-old has been ranked inside the Top 10 without interruption since April 3, 2006 - longer than any other player in Doha this year. Against her elite peers in the Top 10 she has gone 6-3 this season.
Last year's Tour Championships was a disappointment for Kuznetsova, who failed to win any of her round robin matches. Indeed, in her four previous visits to the season-ending showcase she has only won two out of 12 matches and never broken through to the semis. It's hard to imagine that happening again this week.
Highlights: Stuttgart Final Off-Court: Svetlana's Eastbourne Video Blog
