2010s in tennis: 5 most unorthodox WTA players of the decade

There is little doubt that the emergence of the Williams sisters ushered in an era of power-packed play into women's tennis. What followed was players taking up a groundstroke-heavy baseline approach towards their tennis, which was only natural. Everyone wanted to be a Serena or a Venus, and everybody wanted to beat Serena and Venus.

Then there was Maria Sharapova, who soon followed in the footsteps and gave another generation of young women something to believe in. If one was to look at some of the best matches of the early 2010s, it should not come as a surprise if they were all long drawn out baseline affairs.

The Williams sisters' matches, the Li Na vs Victoria Azarenka Australian Open final, and many other big matches all cut a very similar picture.

The list of powerful baseliners and counter-punchers kept growing with big names likes Petra Kvitova, Angelique Kerber, Simona Halep, Naomi Osaka and others joining in throughout the 2010s.

The picture has begun to change now, with the younger generation tilting the balance towards a more balanced game. It might be just a matter of time before a big change becomes evident.

That, however, is a conversation for another day.

Today, at the end of a decade and an entire era of tennis, we shall look back at the handful of unorthodox players who scaled great heights on the back of their very different styles of play, even in the face of all the power being thrown at them through the 2010s.

These were players who refused to conform to the prevalent desire for the best and most powerful forehand or serve. Instead, they brought in their own unique brand of showmanship to broaden the horizon for women's tennis.

Here, we take a look at the five most unconventional players to have played on the women's our in the entire decade.

5. Marion Bartoli

At 5' 7", Marion Bartoli did not cut a tall stature on court. Her reach was not helped by her two-handed backhand and forehand groundstrokes, and she was not the best mover around the court either.

And yet, the Frenchwoman is remembered for great things.

Her dream title run at the 2013 Championships Wimbledon is still etched in the memory of many as an underdog story for the ages. Bartoli made the best of what was available to her on court; she had an outlandish level of anticipatory skills, at times seeming to know where the ball would do before it had even been hit.

She fixed her rather vulnerable forehand at an early age by switching to the two-handed grip. And her service action was very uncomfortable to look at, but it worked well for her; she made it work.

At her peak, Bartoli could go toe-o-toe with the likes of Serena Williams and Petra Kvitova in baseline rallies, both of whom she has beaten on grass. Bartoli never gave an inch and never used her two-handed grip as an excuse for not reaching a ball.

She stuck to her guns and sustained herself at the highest level, and that is what made her the fighter she is remembered as today.

4. Agnieszka Radwanska

Ninja sightings were common back in the day. Prior to her retirement in 2018, Agnieszka Radwanska, or 'the Ninja' as she had been dubbed for her artillery of out-of-the-box tennis strokes, had established her monopoly on the shot of the year and Fan Favorite player prizes at the year-end WTA awards. And rightly so too.

Radwanska was an entertainer on court if there ever was one. She was not known for her groundstrokes or serve, which were ordinary at best, but instead it was her uncanny knack of winning points, and hell, even matches based off of her true instinctive play, that caught the eye.

It helped that there was no shot in the book that Polish stalwart could not make. If you don't believe me, go back to the WTA archives and check out some of the shot of year winners to have come off of her racket.

Do not, however, mistake that for Radwanska not being a serious contender. In fact, if there is anything the former World No. 2 was known for more than her unconventional style of play, it was her resolve as a competitor.

It was this determination that took her to the career-high ranking of No. 2 (where she stayed for long), a Wimbledon final (where she lost to Serena Williams), a WTA Finals title and the status of a true champion.

3. Monica Niculescu

How far can you go as a competitive tennis player without a topspin forehand at your disposal? 32-year-old Romanian star Monica Niculescu has tried to provide an answer to that question all through her career.

At the beginning, it would feel surreal to watch someone hitting a slice forehand every single time during a rally (even against the likes of the Williams sIsters and Maria Sharapova). But the feeling goes from surreal to blown-out absurdity when you see the same player come on top of the rally by doing just that.

Niculescu has done that through most of her career. She has sliced and diced her way through tough opponents, matches and even long drawn-out tournaments altogether.

That is not to disregard the rest of her game. When it comes to having a consistent backhand and solid game at the net, Niculescu ranks right at the top, with the best athletes of the game.

Commentators and skeptics were quick to dismiss her as a fluke or a one-hit wonder, but Niculescu's eight singles WTA finals and three titles have put those arguments to rest. The answer then, to the question posed earlier (how far can you go as a competitive tennis player without a topspin forehand at your disposal?) is: all the way!

2. Tsvetana Pironkova

A 'cerebral' grasscourt player and the eternal Wimbledon dark horse, they say? But that is just one of the many layers that make up Tsvetana Pironkova's tennis genius. Chip away the layers one by one and you will find one of the most complex players to have ever stepped on the tennis courts.

From an unorthodox grip that has she had to change every single time she switched from forehand to backhand, to deliberate odd short balls that drew her opponents into uncomfortable positions, Pironkova had the most unique style of play.

You would not see too many players choosing their backhand side to hit a groundstroke, but Pironkova did just that. She would go through the extra trouble to run around a ball just to hit a backhand, the kind that would end up being such a glorious winner that even the likes of Serena Williams would just stand and applaud.

Many commentators have argued over the years that her game, which employs a lot of slice and drop shots, slick movement, unusually flat groundstroke, is best suited for grass, a surface that a young Pironkova admitted to being her favorite. And yet, she would go on to surprise them and even herself later in her career.

While her biggest results have come on grass (multiple deep runs at Wimbledon), she did later reach a quarterfinal at Roland Garros and win her biggest title on a Sydney hardcourt.

Very few players have as complex a game and career trajectory as the vibrant Bulgarian. And that is probably why her unique brand of tennis will find mention in tennis discourse for years to come.

Honorable mentions

Before we reach the summit, here is a list of honorable mentions for a few great women, who defined and strengthened the movement of an alternative style of play in an era of powerful hitters.

Roberta Vinci and Sara Errani scaled great heights in doubles, before taking the singles world by storm. All that, while never changing their characteristic style of play dominated by a strong game at the net and lots of guile.

A tribute is a must for the exceptional but ever-diminishing art of the one-handed backhand. While Carla Suarez Navarro remains the most notable player to use it, the likes of Tatjana Maria and Viktorija Golubic also employ the weapon to great effect.

Kirsten Flipkens and Barbora Strycova definitely warrant a mention for playing and wining by using a serve and volley brand of tennis that has fallen out of favor for most conservative players with the turn of the century.

No mention of the 2010-19 decade in tennis can be complete without the mention of Kimiko Date, a former World No. 4 who became a legend for a 28 year-long career. Because no matter what decade, there is nothing conventional about playing in your 40s.

1. Hsieh Su-Wei

Who else but the dynamic Taiwanese to top the charts for the unconventionally talented. Hsieh Su-Wei has brought unparalleled attention to the brand of sly and crafty tennis.

Hsieh is arguably the most naturally skilled player to have stepped on the court in the decade, if all of all time. Her hand skills at the net and uncanny ability to be able to hit any shot in the book from any and all court positions put her in a different league altogether.

Hsieh is not threatening in the obvious way. Her groundstrokes, as flat and sublime as they may look, are not robust enough to pass as winners. But you throw a heavy ball at her and she'll redirect the pace at you like it's child's play. Ask the likes of Bianca Andreescu and Naomi Osaka what that feels like.

At the net she's menacing, but she has worked hard for it. Her years of work on the doubles court played a huge role in her development as a player. She now draws heavily from her experience as she embarks into uncharted territory as am ambitious singles player in her 30s, and is looking set for big things.

Hsieh might not cut a very intimidating figure on court, but she can cut a slice of an angle too good for anybody from across the net on any given day.