Women’s French Open Week 1 Review
Justine Henin, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova Still Alive
The first week of the Women’s French Open produced only one major upset, that of No.25 seed Suzie Safarova over No.5 seed Amelie Mauresmo in the bottom-half of the draw. Although she had taken more than two months to recover from an injury, Mauresmo had looked as though she was recovering her form as she advanced to the final in Strasbourg a week before play began at Roland Garros.
With a weakened Maria Sharapova, seeded No.2, in the bottom half, and third-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova likely to face No. 15 Shahar Peer in the round of 16, a player to whom Kuznetsova had lost twice this year, Mauresmo appeared poised to threaten for her third Grand Slam title, and first at Roland Garros. Mauresmo went down in straight sets (3-6, 6-7) providing ample evidence that she is not yet match tough.
Chakvetadze to Face Sharapova
Her loss opened the door for No.9 seed, 20 year-old Anna Chakvetadze, who eliminated Safarova in the next round in an uneven three-setter (6-4, 0-6, 6-2). Chakvetadze is now poised to play Maria Sharapova the first Grand Slam quarter-final of her young career. Chakvetadze has plenty of game to topple Sharapova, but she has yet to curb her tendency for erratic play.
Sharapova has been taking full advantage of a favorable draw at Roland Garros. Given her performance in Istanbul the week before the French, one couldn’t have foreseen Sharapova advancing to the quarter-finals. Yet, she has modified her game to accommodate her recovering shoulder and absent first-serve, and her fighting spirit was on full display in her dramatic three-set win (3-6, 6-4, 9-7) over Patty Schnyder in the fourth round. Sharapova’s experience and mental toughness are likely to prevail against Chakvetadze’s youthful but dangerous game.
Jankovic Eases Through with Little Trouble
All of the other top-seeded women held their seeds with little trouble. No. 4 Jelena Jankovic has lost only one set, and that was to the ever-dangerous Venus Williams. She crushed Williams 6-1 in the final set, and is likely to be too much for teen-aged phenom, No.6 seed Nicole Vaidisova. Jankovic moves better than Vaidisova and has shown that she has the mental toughness to win big matches; something Vaidisova has yet to do.
Henin and Serena Take Different Paths to Quarters
Speaking of Justine Henin and Serena Williams (numbers 1 and 5 seeds respectively), their match-up in the top-half of the draw has fans of the Sony Ericsson WTA tour, and all of tennis, drooling. It is a contest that always ties both the players and their fans into knots. Williams’ play has been uneven, looking in fine form at times and missing wildly at others. She has lost one set and has been tested in others, but showed no weakness in her 6-2, 6-3 destruction of No.10 seed Dinara Safina.
Henin has had virtually no challenge thus far, losing not a single set, and that may help or hurt her. Not having to fight for her tournament life may result in her being unsure when such a moment arrives, or she could be the freshest of all emotionally, mentally and physically. Henin’s backhand looks like the best in women’s tennis and she’s serving with authority. Can she play as well with the intensity ratcheted up by Serena Williams? We’ll see.
Kuznetsova and Ivanovic Promise Heated Battle
With both Kuznetsova and No. 7 Ana Ivanovic playing well, their match should be as competitive as any. Kuznetsova has yet to lose a set and Ivanovic has lost just one, that to Anabel Medina-Garrigues who beat Mauresmo for the title in Strasbourg just over a week ago. Ivanovic edged Kuznetsova in a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 final round classic last month in Berlin. This one should be no different.
Given the quality of players remaining in the draw, the second week of the French Open, tennis’ version of the Boston Marathon, promises to titillate and fascinate the fans of Roland Garros’ drama on red clay.
