Naomi Osaka and Simona Halep topple Serena Williams in ‘this year-end stat’


Naomi Osaka and Simona Halep topple Serena Williams in ‘this year-end stat’

Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Simona Halep

Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Simona Halep

The year 2020 witnessed unprecedented times and will surely not be the one with many fond memories. In spite of the tennis season being suspended for three months between March-June owing to the covid-19 pandemic, there was no shortage of incredible matchups.

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In the win percentage stat from 2020, Naomi Osaka tops the list with a win percentage of 88.9, having won 16 out of her 19 matches. She gave a walkover in the Cincinnati finals which is not counted as a loss. Simona Halep was very close to the Japanese having a win percentage of 88.5 and winning 23 out of 26 matches. Serena Williams found herself behind both Osaka and Halep having a win percentage of 80, which is not considered to be low under any circumstance.

Serena Williams’ falls behind in the pecking order

Serena Williams

Serena Williams has not had her best year on tour, having won just one title in 2020 that came at the start of the year in Auckland. The 23 time Grandslam champion continued her dry spell in terms of winning a Grandslam title as her best finish at a major this year was the semifinal run at the US Open, where she lost to Victoria Azarenka in three sets.

Her last Grandslam title came in 2017 at the Australian Open and she has been struggling ever since to lay her hands on her 24th major title, that would draw her level with Margaret Court’s record. Serena Williams lost in the third round of the Australian Open, and suffered an ankle injury which led to her withdrawal from the French Open and ended her season early.

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Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka had some sort of a turnaround season. She was not in her best form when the tour was suspended. But, she had an incredible American hard court season where she reached the Cincinnati Final. In the coming weeks, she lifted her second US Open title and third overall, defeating Victoria Azarenka in the final.

Simona Halep also enjoyed a good year on tour, although she was capable of much more. In spite of having won three titles this season, the Romanian would have loved to win another Grandslam. She entered the French Open as one of the top contenders but was beaten down by the eventual champion, Iga Swiatek in straight sets in the fourth round.

Also Read: “Serena is getting in better and better shape,” Monica Seles warns against writing off Serena Williams