Vera Zvonareva

Vera Zvonareva

Seed: 8
2008 record: 61-21, two titles
2008 Grand Slams: 1R, 4R, 2R, 2R
Career Grand Slam titles: none
Previous appearance at year-end championships: 2004

Let's get the bad stuff out of the way first. Zvonareva is the only tournament entrant who didn't reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal in 2008, and she fell in five finals.

Only Jankovic has won more matches, and so far, no one surpassed her total of reaching seven finals. The emotional 24-year-old joined Dementieva and Safina on the podium in China after winning bronze, and she's guaranteed of finishing the season in the top 10 for the first time in her career.

Although Zvonareva has struggled against Jankovic, Ivanovic and the Williams sisters, she won't be intimidated if she meets Safina. Zvonareva has beat Safina in their three battles since February.

Adams' verdict: "Zvonareva I've nicknamed the 'volcano.' She can erupt at any time, so if she can keep her emotions together and focus on executing, then she's one of those sleepers that can do some damage."