Contention at the toptennis star between Serena, Safina

The only thing Dinara Safina and Serena Williams have in common at this U.S. Open is that they are both avoiding mentioning the other by name.

Dinara Safina

The two women waging a power struggle at the top of the sport might as well be operating on parallel universes during the opening week. Their matches are on different days, their performances on different planets.

Dinara Safina nice

Safina came into New York on the wrong end of criticism and ridicule that was occasionally cruel and certainly unfair. Her “crime” has been to ascend to the No. 1 ranking without having won a Grand Slam title, while Williams, an 11-time Slam champion who lifted the Australian and Wimbledon trophies this year, remains stuck at No. 2.

Dinara Safina beautiful

The issue has created animosity between the women, with Safina angered by Williams’ sneering comments earlier this year that appeared to make fun of the Russian and alluded that she did not deserve the top spot.

Dinara Safina photo

The argument has weight, but it’s no fault of Safina. The WTA ranking system does not give enough reward for major championships, and with Safina outstanding and Serena painfully mediocre in smaller events, the American is still well behind in points and unable to bridge the gap even if she wins the U.S. Open.

Dinara Safina wallpaper