Fairways and Forehands 2013 Top 30 WTA and LPGA Year In Review: #29 Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Nadia Petrova

Jodi Ewart Shadoff hugs caddie after defeating Brittany Lincicome 3&2 at Solheim Cup 2013 (click to enlarge)

Instead of a year in review focusing on overall achievements, I thought this time I’d do a countdown of the top 30 money list leaders from the WTA and LPGA. For the WTA, singles, doubles and mixed are combined for this top 30. Number 29 on the money list from each tour are Jodi Ewart Shadoff (LPGA) and Nadia Petrova (WTA).

JODI EWART SHADOFF (England)

2013 Official LPGA Prizemoney: $493,091

Best Finishes: 2-1-0 Solheim Cup, T3 Marathon Classic, T4 US Women’s Open

Jodi Ewart Shadoff performed like a player on the rise in 2013. The 25-year old 2-time NCAA All-American improved her LPGA top 10s from 2 last year to 4 this year, including a tie for 4th at the US Women’s Open. She also tied for 3rd at the Marathon Classic presented by Owens Corning O-I. However, I would probably say the shining highlight of her year was going 2-1-0 in her first Solheim Cup, helping Team Europe to successfully defend the Cup with their first victory on American soil.

After Day 2

at the 2013 US Women’s Open (click to enlarge)

The question is which way will she go in 2014. Her two Major top 10s are impressive, but she also had two missed cuts in Majors as well. I tend to lean toward a huge upside for Jodi. I think if she can get that first LPGA victory, she will really take off. She was 4th in greens in regulation, 17th in birdies and 24th in scoring average. The most room for improvement is in putting, where she was 66th in putts per greens in regulation and 133rd in putting average. She’s getting herself to the green with chances. If she can drop in a few more putts here and there, her maiden victory might be sooner rather than later.

Katarina Srebotnik (l) and Nadia Petrova (r) win 2013 Sony Open (Miami) doubles title (click to enlarge)

NADIA PETROVA (Russia)

Singles: $310,473 Doubles: $484,931 Mixed: $16,222

2013 Official WTA Prizemoney: $811,626

Best Finishes: Apia International Sydney, Sony Open and AEGON International, all won in doubles with partner, Katarina Srebotnik

While Nadia Petrova might not be quite the force she once was in singles, she has remained a great player in doubles. The 31-year old Russian teamed with Slovenia’s Katarina Srebotnik to reach 6 finals, including impressive Premier events in Doha, Indian Wells and Miami. Nadia and Katarina won the Sony Open in Miami while also adding the Apia International Sydney and AEGON International to their trophy case.

winning AEGON International at Eastbourne (click to enlarge)

Nadia continues the trend of players like Serena Williams and Li Na having success on the WTA tour past 30 years old, although Nadia’s strength is now in doubles. Actually, it’s always been the greater side of her playing. She has 13 career singles victories to 24 career doubles victories. She also has twice won the WTA year end Championships in doubles; once in 2004 with Meghann Shaughnessy and in 2012 with Maria Kirilenko. If there is one last thing for her to accomplish to tie a bow on her illustrious career it would be winning a Major, more likely in doubles. She reached the final of Roland Garros in 2012 with Maria Kirilenko, falling in 3 sets to Roberta Vinci and Sara Errani. Petrova also made the US Open doubles final in 2010 with Liezel Huber. They lost to Yaroslava Shvedova and Vania King.