"Stars" of the WTA

During the 08 and 09 seasons of women's tennis, there was constant talk of a lack of "big name stars" on the women's tour: the Williams sisters only really gave their all for the Slams, and didn't (and still don't) play a heavy schedule anyway; Maria Sharapova went out with an injury and couldn't get back into top form (and still hasn't); the Serbians Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic rose quickly to the top of the game, gaining attention and fans, but then plummeted back down almost as fast (only Jankovic has been able to come back while Ivanovic has continued to fall); and no one seemed to care too much about top-ranked Dinara Safina, who mentally crumbled on the biggest stages.

But then a light of hope shone upon women's tennis. And it came from Belgium, of all places. First Kim Clijsters and then Justine Henin, both former world number ones and Slam champions, announced they would be returning to the game many felt they had left too soon. Their returns were lauded and praised as the second-coming and a return to consistency for the women's game, and suddenly the duo were celebrities again before they'd done anything.

Their fame has been ironic for two reasons. Firstly, while "Aussie Kim" was always a fan-favorite and much liked on the tour, she was too private and too quiet a personality to be the big cross-over star that the tour sees her as now. Also, Henin, while a perennial favorite among the French, was easily one of the most ignored number one players in recent memory. It was practically expected at the Slams that Henin would get the least press, but quietly and effectively progress into the later rounds regardless. So it is fitting that both of these players are getting so much attention for their "second" careers when they didn't always get it for their first.
Secondly, the consistency which many (including myself) were hoping would return with two of the more consistent players hasn't actually been seen, yet. Henin, with a specific dream of winning Wimbledon and completing her Career Slam, has been playing a more aggressive, offensive game which can lead to strings of unforced errors. She is also going for more on both of her serves, sometimes yielding double faults. Finally, both Henin and her coach have said that she wouldn't really get back into full champion form for several months (despite the fact that she made two straight finals to start her return). As for Clijsters, she has specifically lightened up her playing schedule (once one of the most intensive among the top players) to avoid the exhaustion that she felt the last time. By her own admission, this has led to her having problems getting into the consistent form that she once had, as she's now unable to find her game and just keep playing it week after week.

Keep in mind, I'm a huge fan of both of these players, and I really do want them to reach the consistent heights of excellence they once did. This is just a reminder of where their games still need work, and how insane the concept of "fame" really is, especially for sports stars.