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Samantha Stosur’s tennis transformation has hit a new high as she cracked the world top 10 and her coach says there’s better in store.
Stosur became only the second Australian woman in more than two decades to reach a coveted top 10 ranking after brushing aside defending champion Vera Zvonareva 6-2 7-5 to reach the quarter-finals at Indian Wells, California.
The 25-year-old Queenslander reached the milestone just two years after being ranked well outside the top 100 and widely considered a doubles specialist.
The next rankings list won’t be released until next Monday, but eighth seed Stosur could be as high as No.8 depending on how far she progresses in her best showing at Indian Wells.
Her position in the top 10 was assured after Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer and Russian Nadia Petrova both lost their fourth round matches.
Ranked No.11 going into Indian Wells, Stosur is the first Australian woman to enter the top 10 since Alicia Molik reached world No.8 in 2005 and after that you need to cast back to when Wendy Turnbull was ranked fifth in 1987.
She was reluctant to celebrate her new status ahead of her next match against Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez from Spain but her coach and Fed Cup Captain David Taylor said his charge deserved great credit.
“She has worked really hard to come back from a career threatening-illness (Lyme Disease in 2007) and truly deserves this recognition,” said Taylor.
“I believe she has further room for improvement in her game and is constantly trying to become a more complete player. The next few years will be very exciting for her.”
Stosur said she’s managed to find top form over the past two months.
“I think at Fed Cup (in February) I played really well and I was very pleased with the way I was able to play there,” she said.
“I guess I have been able to find good form which gives me a lot of confidence.
“I know if I can do it back to back weeks then who knows what can happen at the end of the year?
“It is a good feeling and I am just going to keep riding it.”
Stosur last played Martinez Sanchez at the Fed Cup in Adelaide in February and won 2-6 6-1 6-4, although they currently have a 1-1 head-to-head record.
It wasn’t all winning news for Australia, with Alicia Molik narrowly failing in her bid to reach the last eight.
Comeback player Molik made good use of her wildcard entry to reach the fourth round as she looks to break back into the world’s top 100.
But she was edged out by Australian Open semi-finalist Jie Zheng of China 6-3 4-6 7-6.
Although she lost, this was the first time Molik had won three consecutive main-draw matches at a WTA tour event since losing the final to Maria Sharapova in Doha in February 2005 – just a fortnight after peaking at world No.8.
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