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

2. Tsvetana Pironkova

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.