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How Serena Williams is Setting Up to Reclaim the WTA’s No. 1 Ranking in 2017
- Updated: October 4, 2016
Serena Williams may have her sights set on breaking the all-time record for most Grand Slam titles. However, her plans to kick off 2017 hint at a desire to reclaim the WTA Tour’s No. 1 ranking, too.
After a record-tying 186 consecutive weeks at No. 1, Williams relinquished the top spot to Angelique Kerber at the U.S. Open. Then Williams took the post-U.S. Open Asian swing off for the second year in a row, giving Kerber a chance to pad her points lead.
Although Williams is scheduled to compete in the WTA’s year-end championship in Singapore, her start to 2017 at the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, suggests she is targeting an early-season surge.
“It’s the first event of the year. It can really set you up for a great run in Melbourne and I will be looking to start my year strongly in Auckland,” Williams told reporters (via SuperSport).
Williams has never played in Auckland, a small international event that awards a maximum 280 points. In comparison, Brisbane, where Kerber and other top players will begin 2017, has 900 points up for grabs.
The past two years, Williams has competed in the Hopman Cup exhibition to prep for the Australian Open. A mixed-doubles competition, the Hopman …
