Fourhand is the Daily Spin's occasional roundup of various hits and misses on tour.
VENUS, ENVIED Venus Williams fell to No. 135 in the world rankings in February 2012, but she seized on three tournament titles in 2015 to regain a Top 10 slot on the WTA tour. "There are no easy matches," Venus offers on the WTA Insider Podcast. "It's a great thing to be in the Top 10 again. Still, I'm hungry. ... I've never walked on court and not felt like I'm the one to beat." Suffice it to say, the 2016 field is on watch.
Side note: No matter who you are, it's great to see this headline featuring the 35-years-young star: "With Serena Sidelined, Sister Venus Dominating Tour."
SLIDERS Sliding: It's not bound to just clay courts. Kim Clijsters made a career of it, in ways, on hard courts, and Maria Sharapova, formerly and famously a "cow on ice," has taken to sliding when need be on the gritty stuff. Now new science studies why players are sliding more on more on hard courts, and what it means. A byproduct of today's technology and power, and players' needs to reach the ball faster than ever before? You decide. The science is in.
DRIVER'S SEAT In Eugenie Bouchard's native Quebec province, a Canadian can secure a probationary driver's license at age 16. Better late than never, as she says herself in claiming her DL at age 21. At the same time, legions of fans hope she can just properly steer her flailing career in 2016. She righted the ship for a few rounds at the U.S. Open before suffering a concussion in a locker-room fall. Says here she'll do it again on a major stage next year.