Like Agnieszka Radwanska, 2015 was a tale of two seasons for Safarova. But while Radwanska’s best of times came late, Safarova’s happened early. She capped a strong first half by reaching her first Grand Slam singles final, at the French Open, and pushed Serena Williams to a third set.
At 28, was the well-traveled Czech on her way to starting a whole new and better career, the way Li Na did at roughly the same age? Maybe not. Safarova lost in the first round at her next event, in Eastbourne, and lost again in the first round at the US Open before being sidelined by a bacterial infection in the fall. She qualified for her first season-ending championships, but was largely a non-factor in Singapore.
Where does all this leave Safarova for 2016? With coach Rob Steckley and doubles partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands, this popular player seems to be having more fun on court, and on tour, than ever. And you can see it in her results. But standing only 5'9", she’ll never get as much muscle behind the ball as most of her opponents do. That said, despite her lack of size, Safarova can take over and dictate a rally against anyone.
The biggest change Safarova may need to make is in her expectations. Now that she knows she can reach a final at a Grand Slam tournament, she should be building her entire season around them.
After beating Maria Sharapova at Roland Garros last year, Safarova should have the right belief the next time she faces a star player on a big stage. In this age of the late-bloomer, the best could still be ahead for this sharp ball-striker.
Her combined 3–27 record against Sharapova, Serena, Petra Kvitova and Victoria Azarenka shows that playing the big hitters remains an uphill battle. It’s one thing to get to No. 8 in the world, but it’s another to start beating players you’ve never beaten before on a regular basis.
Safarova has finally cracked the Top 10, and has proven that she can reach the late rounds at Slams. Now the hard work begins.
For more 2016 season previews, click here.