The biggest story of this year’s ladies’ singles tournament at Wimbledon centered around the Williams sisters, back in the final of the world’s most prestigious event. The best match of The Championships jumped off the page, as Serena Williams’s heartstopping triumph over Elena Dementieva electrified women’s tennis at a point of low ebb for the sport. The loudest controversy of the fortnight–literally and figuratively–came from the lungs of 16-year-old Michelle Larcher de Brito, whose screaming during rallies sent the British tabloids into a publishing frenzy. But the most significant story of the tournament–the narrative that produced the kind of debate sports fans crave–emerged when Safina, still possessing that “(1)” next to her name on the draw sheet, claimed just one game and 20 total points (that’s right–just 20 total points in 13 games; you try winning a tennis match when you get roughly 1.5 points per game…) against an ascendant Venus on Centre Court. The fact that Safina still owned the world’s No. 1 ranking only made the reality of her lopsided defeat that much more embarrassing. The problem, though, lies not with Safina herself, but with the WTA’s ranking system. As the ladies’ tournament at Wimbledon comes to a close (at press time, the Williams sisters are beginning their much-anticipated singles final), it’s worth discussing the ins and outs of tennis rankings and the players caught up in such controversies.

It was striking to read the transcript of Venus Williams’s post-match press conference following her slaughter of Safina. Assembled journalists–understandably wanting to explore the incongruities inherent in a breadstick-and-bagel beatdown suffered by the world No. 1–pressed Venus about the legitimacy of Safina’s ranking, and what that meant for women’s tennis. The words themselves tell the story:

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Q. This isn’t your fault obviously because you played really well, but it’s embarrassing for women’s tennis to see the No. 1 destroyed in that way, isn’t it?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Why do you put it like that?

Q. You played very well.

VENUS: Are you trying to be down on women’s tennis?

Q: I’m trying to be down on the way that Safina is the world No. 1 representing women’s tennis.

VENUS: So you’re trying to be down basically.

Q: Not on women’s tennis, no.

VENUS: Okay, because I don’t deal with down at all.

Q. It’s not down.

VENUS: I’m just making sure you’re not trying to be down, because I respect Dinara Safina immensely, and I think you should, too.

Q. I do. . .

VENUS: Thanks.

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It was, on one hand, a joy to see Venus doing what any self-respecting women’s tennis player should have done: Defend Dinara Safina. That feeling, however, was tempered by the unfortunate realization that the questioner failed to make the right kind of inquiry.

An appropriate line of questioning would have involved a reference to the ranking system used by the WTA Tour, not any reference to the Safina’s deficiencies. Safina, it must be said, battled to the semis of Wimbledon–her best-ever showing at the tournament–despite a case of knee tendonitis and a succession of tough matches against inspired opponents. Safina trailed Amelie Mauresmo by a set and a break, and then found herself down 3-0 in the third and deciding set of Monday’s fourth-round match, but still fought through to the quarterfinals. In the round of eight, Safina’s serve could not be found, but the Russian still willed herself past Sabine Lisicki despite playing anything but her best tennis. Marat Safin’s sister has been the most consistent week-in, week-out player on tour in 2009; the 23-year-old should be praised for what she achieved at Wimbledon.

Safina’s lopsided loss to Venus Williams should not have surprised anyone in the women’s tennis community. Venus, first of all, is a woman who loves grass as much as Safina hates it. Centre Court is Venus’s cozy summer cottage, while Safina despises the green stuff and the unreliable bounces it provides. Venus has won five times at SW19, and against an injured foe (never mind Venus’s own wrapped knees; they’ve plainly not limited her on-court movement this fortnight), she simply had every possible factor pointing in her direction. The matchup was a bad one to begin with for Safina; failing to do much against Venus Williams at Wimbledon is no sin at all. If journalists feel Dinara Safina is the problem in this episode, they have a horribly wrong-headed impression of the matter.

Indeed, the focus of the interviewers at Venus’s post-match presser should have zeroed in on a system that allows Safina to claim the No. 1 ranking without having won a single slam title. Safina didn’t make the WTA’s rules or procedures; she’s merely trying to play her best tennis. Yet, in this and previous tournaments (the Australian Open and the French Open), the Russian was pelted with questions about a ranking she inherited, not a ranking she lobbied for. It’s a blessing that rankings in tennis are not so much the result of politics as they are a reflection of numerical formulas otherwise known as point allotments. Tennis has always struggled (same with the men) in determining just how many points to offer for individual tournaments and 12-month periods of competition, and this latest dust-up involving a damsel named Dinara only shows that the sport still has to tweak its methods and maneuvers.

So let it be said, then: Why not insist on a simple set of changes that would immensely improve not just the rankings formula itself, but the public perception of the sport (especially as it rests in the hands of journalists who can quite easily miss the mark)?

A road to a better women’s tennis rankings list would involve these basic improvements:

1) The insertion of a provision requiring a world No. 1 to win a slam title.

2) If the No. 2 player lacks a slam title, make a determination about the point differential needed to allow the No. 3 or No. 4 player to rise to the No. 1 position.

Example: If player A has 9,800 points (as Safina does) and player B has 8,100 points (roughly Serena Williams’s total at the moment) but no slams, should player C, with a slam title to her name, be allowed to ascend to the No. 1 position with 7,200 points? One does have to admit that if a slam-less player is extremely consistent in all other tournaments on the tennis calendar, it is not terrifically easy to say that a less active player should be ranked No. 1, even if that less active player snaps up the slams. This has been the very dynamic that has encased the Williams sisters in recent years: Serena and Venus do not play a full calendar, but they wind up winning many of the year’s majors. Women’s tennis can’t idly watch as slam-less players gain the top ranking, but certain thresholds need to be established in order to give the rankings system credibility.

3) This is the easiest rule to add: If or when a slam-less player with the highest (12-month-based) point total finally wins a slam, that player should be immediately be promoted to the No. 1 ranking.

Yes, the formulation and implementation of a mutually satisfying plan for all female tennis pros would take some time, but in light of the unfortunate controversy surrounding Dinara Safina at this year’s Wimbledon, it’s high time the WTA does something to address the problem. Dinara Safina did what she could in suburban London this year, but journalists viewed her semifinal washout as her great disappointment, when all along, it was the WTA’s ranking system that truly cast a pall over the sport.

With a little care and forethought, future women’s tennis debates–about No. 1 and the health of the sport–can focus more on the results of tournaments, and less on rankings systems that make players the villains. Administrators are the real sources of the sour notes that continue to plague this sport. Safina should not have to be asked to defend a No. 1 ranking she didn’t really deserve, and Venus Williams should not have had to defend her fellow traveler on the WTA Tour.

As the top seed at Melbourne and the top seed in Paris, the hard working, always the bridesmaid never the bride Russian did what she does best. She reached the finals and then put forth a nervous, painful-to-watch effort that resulted in humiliating defeats. The 23-year old devastates opponents en-route to the finals and then take on the appearance of a deer in the headlights before embarrassingly collapsing in despair.

All the aggression and combativeness that carried the husky sister of Marat Safina to the finals disappears. The ferocious bulldog becomes a camera shy pussycat looking for a place to hide.

After complaining about the grass at Wimbledon, declaring it her most unpopular surface, Safina went out on Thursday and did what she does best. She defeated unseeded Paraguayan Rossana De Los Rios in an early morning match 6-3,7-5.

The pundits and experts remain unimpressed.

When considering likely champions at Wimbledon, the number one seed’s name barely comes to mind. Four names that do come to mind for fans and bookmakers alike are 8th seed Victoria Azarenka, 5th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, 2nd seed Serena Williams and 3rd seed and five-time Wimbledon Champion Venus Williams. All four are comfortable with the grass and considered to be in top form. The bookmakers are getting plenty of action on all four players.

The weakest quarter in the draw is considered the top bracket of the lower half where 7th seed Vera Zvonareva and her Russian counterpart 4th seeded Elena Dementieva reside. Dementieva may be seeded higher but Zvonareva, a 6-3, 6-1 winner over Mathilde Johansson on Thursday, is playing better.

Neither possible semifinalist is given much of a chance against either Azarenka, a 6-0, 6-0 second round winner against Ioano Raluca Olanu, or oft time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams. The more Victoria is on the court, the better she looks. We like her chances although Queen Serena is always game.

Against Safina, Kuznetsova should prevail. Svetlana’s quick dismissal of Dinara in Paris marked her return to top form and the winner’s circle at a Grand Slam. She’s powerful, aggressive and playing with great confidence.

Venus has her eye on that sixth title. What a credit it would be to an already astonishing resume. A Champion’s champion, Venus looks right at home on the Wimbledon courts. On Thursday, Venus breezed past the experienced Kateryna Bondarenko 6-3, 6-2.

This year, we give the edge to youth. Look for Svetlana and Victoria to meet in the finals. Then, cheer for the 2009 Wimbledon Champion Victoria Azarenka, a rising and shining star. The deeper these two get into the draw, the stronger they will look. What a finals we shall see!

Safina is ranked much higher than her big brother at the moment, and I’ve no doubt she earned considerably more prize than he did in 2008. She played in 5 consecutive finals in seven tournaments leading up to the US Open, where she virtually collapsed from exhaustion in her match against Serena.

Marat a naturally gifted player who plays as effortlessly as any player in history, has suffered from a series of nagging injuries throughout his career. He made it all the way to the top, but did not remain as number 1 for more than a few months. On court he tries hard to keep his feelings in check but many times his frustrations boil over and he slams yet another racket into the ground. Marat is a big guy, not built like the conventional tennis player, and he puts a lot of stress on his legs, ankles and knee joints. As he is quoted as saying, “I’m forever making a come back, right now I’m on my fifth.”

Safina is also an emotional player who wears her young heart on her sleeve. She is often guilty of screaming at herself after a poor shot and has been on the verge of tears a few times. She confesses that she acted like a spoilt child in her match against Serena, and is embarrassed by her outbursts. “I’ll learn from the experience”, she says, “I have to if I want to be number 1.” At 22 years of age Safina may have the most potential of any of the ‘new’ girls on the tour. Much like her brother her talent comes naturally, and she often surprises herself with some of the shots she makes. She has all the attributes to be number 1, she’s tall, a good server, she’s quick around the court, and she has determination.

Both Brother and Sister are expecting to play in Melbourne at the Australian Open 2009, where Marat won one of his 2 Grand Slam Titles. Safina who won the Silver medal in Beijing says she’s eager to match Marat’s achievements by winning her first major tournament. Maybe Australia will be the place for her to come of age.

Marat recently pulled out of the Russian Davis Cup team that’s on its way to play Argentina, so he could participate in the Thailand Open in Bangkok. He needs ranking points to improve his position in the Australian Open draw.