Rome Shapes WTA Points Race
Three of Top Four Players in Quaters of Sony Ericsson WTA in Rome
The Sony Ericsson WTA Internationali BNL D'Italia event being contested in Rome is going change the face of the Race to the Sony Ericsson Championships.
With only 145 points separating the top three women in the Sony Ericsson WTA points race and three of the top four players in the race reaching the quarter-finals of the Internationali BNL D’Italia, there is likely to be a reshuffling of the leaderboard once the final grunt is heard and the red dust settles in Rome.
Jankovic Set For Rematch with Serena Williams
Jelena Jankovic, currently no.1 in the points race and no.5 in the Sony Ericsson WTA World Rankings, won a hard-fought, three-setter (3-6, 6-3, 7-6) against Venus Williams at the WTA Tier I event in Charleston, South Carolina in April. It was her second meeting with one of the Williams sisters this year. Her first encounter was with Serena Williams, now ranked no.12 in the WTA Rankings and no.2 in the points race, at the Australian Open in January, where she was steamrolled 6-3, 6-2 by baby sis. Jankovic is likely to get another shot at Serena Williams in Rome as both she and Serena have reached the round of 16 in the same section of the draw.
Getting to Williams should not be too difficult a task for Jankovic, even though she has to get past no.13 Elena Dementieva, against whom she has a 2-2 record. Dementieva is free-falling from the no.8 ranking she achieved last year, having only made it past the round of 16 once in 2007. Jankovic, on the other hand, has won two Sony Ericsson WTA events, the most recent being the win in Charleston. Jankovic has continued to play well since that win, her only two losses coming from the racquet of Justine Henin (world no.1, 3rd in Points Race) in semi- and quarter-final, three-set struggles.
Serena Should advance to Semis
Williams, too, should not have much trouble with her next opponent, 17th-ranked (no.24 in the points race) Patty Schnyder, given that she has beaten Schnyder six of the seven times they have played, and Schnyder has not made it past a quarter-final round this year. The one glimmer of hope for Schnyder is that the one win she has against Williams came on clay, and they are on clay in Rome. However, that win was five years ago and Serena’s recent performances have been reminiscent of her dominant days. She has won two of the four WTA tourneys she has played this year, including one Grand Slam title, the Australian Open in January. Chances are Serena will move past Schnyder in straight sets.
Kuznetsova to Battle Safina
On the other side of the draw, no.3-ranked Svetlana Kuznetsova, who is in fourth place in the Points Race and 159 points behind Henin, will square off against Dinara Safina, Marat Safin’s younger sister who is ranked no.9 in the world and is eighth in the Sony Ericsson WTA points race. Kuznetsova is a solid performer almost every time out, making it to multiple finals this year. Even though she hasn’t yet claimed a title this year, the former US Open champion (2004) can beat any WTA player on any given day and would pass Henin in the points race with a semi-final appearance or better.
Unlike Williams and Jankovic who should move through to the semis in straight sets, Kuznetsova has her work cut out for her against Safina, who has one title on her resume this year, and is 20-9 on the season. Safina and Kuznetsova are 3-3 in matches played, alternating wins each time, and it is Safina’s turn. Don’t be surprised if Kuznetsova bows out in the quarters.
Hantuchova Should Get Past Garrigues
If she makes it pass Kuznetsova into the semis, Safina is likely to face Daniela Hantuchova (no.14), who will play the other quarterfinal match on this side of the draw against Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain. Garrigues is ranked no.31 in the world and has only made it to the quarters once this year. Although Hantuchova hasn’t done much since taking home the hardware at Indian Wells in March, she handled no.10 Anna Chakvetadze in the round of 16, and should be able to take care of Garrigues.
Winner of Jankovic-Williams Takes Title
Look for Jankovic and Williams to meet in the semis with the winner of that match going on the win the tournament and take the lead in the Sony Ericsson WTA Points Race.
