Roland Garross Preview

Last year, the players who dominated the clay season were the one making it to the final : Safina and Kutnetsova, with the latest winning the title. This year, no one really dominated this preparation to RG and it is hard to say who is going to hold the trophy at the end of the tournament. But it isn’t going to be Kuznetsova, or Safina.

The first thing we notice on the draw is that Justine Henin wasn’t granted of any favor and is seeded as her rank allows : 22. She is standing in the first half of the draw with a possible meeting with Maria Sharapova in third round. But even that, shouldn’t be a problem. Stosur is also standing there, but their first and only encounter earlier this month shows that Justine was still superior mentally speaking. So, i guess the first quart will oppose Justine to Serena Williams who might have a tough match against Peer, but still, she should dispose of anyone standing her way till Justine. And even then, hard to saw which one will make it through.

And the second part of the top draw, Jelena Jankovic might have some problems in earlier rounds with possible meeting with players that already beaten her in the past : Kanepi, then Bonderenko and Hantuchova. And she is passes that, is hard to say who she is going to meet in quart because Safina is a possibility but she had been playing so miserably since she returned that i doubt that even a mentually disturb Zvonarava shouldn’t get rid of her, unless that fact that she finally fired that ungrateful coach shows instant result. There is also Ivanovic on that part but is what we saw in the latest tournaments is going to be enough? Radwanska didn’t really shows consistency on clay so, who is going to be? Hard to say: the huge Russian, Kleybanova ?

The second part of the draw holds the defending champion. Sveta had a very unconvincing clay season but with her, we never know. Her draw doesn’t look too bad, but what a draw means anyway? If she is playing at the best of her talent, she could even make it to the semi since Wozniacki, still injured, should not last that long and Pennetta is still in a mid-struggle crisis. Can she find her game on time for the tournament?

And the last part of the draw, I see an immediate clash as I am almost certain that Dulko is going to win over Azarenka: the Belarus is playing injured for a way too long and Dulko is on a good mood. Will it be her or Dementieva in Quart? Hard to say. The Russian is having any kind of problem losing match she should win lately but i gave her the benefit of the doubt, because she the higher seeded in that part. At the bottom of the draw there is Venus Williams: I say for many years that clay isn’t Venus Williams’s surface and even thought she seems to be playing good this season on it and might have her best run for years, she is not going to win this.

Aravane wins in Madrid

The French woman played inspired tennis all week long defeating on her way to Madrid’s title Jelena Jankovic and Venus Williams. She was sharp, consistence and a player, no matter who she is, had to be in her best days to stop her. Congratulations to Aravane for an amazing run in Spain. Going into Roland Garros, we’ll have to keep an eye on her and see if she can keep playing that way.

Madrid Update

When you first look at the draw, you have no other reaction than : «Holy Shit» or any other saint expression that you might use in your home town. The level of competition reached such a high standard that some crazy matches started right on the first round.

I am a little late to make my own prevision but, I wasn’t surprise at all to see Azarenka and Wozniacki lost: these girls are playing with injuries and I doubt it is going to help for their RG preparation. Sharapova hadn’t played for a while and Safarova was definively a threat since she got a momentum these weeks with good results. Pennetta, who is still struggling a little was sent out kinda early by Petkovic who eventually lost to Rezai.

Yes, Rezai caused a surprise beating Henin 60 in the third set and she is still in the tournament in quart waiting to face Jelena Jankovic to night.. Jelena survived her second round match crash despite a slow start against Ana Ivanovic who seems to have found her game for a set but the oldest of the 2 Serbians shifted gear since then and shouldn’t have any problem to make it through to final again this week.

Dementieva lost to Dulgheru. The Romanian is playing her best tennis lately but still, I didn’t expect that, but she wasn’t enough to stop Safarova who is now standing in the last four. She surprised today Nadia Petrova who couldn’t use the momentum of her great Victory over Serena Williams.

Speaking of Williams, I was wrong thinking that Stosur would defeat Venus Williams; the oldest of the sisters’ got her ticket in semi after beating the Aussie in a one way match. She should met and send out Peer tomorrow to make it to the final against Jankovic. And I really doubt that this time, Jelena is going to get away with the win as easy as she did in Rome.

But this said, one match at the time, none of those players are there yet,and we all know that a match is not over till it’s over, even less when it isn’t started yet. But I do think that it should be Venus against Jelena and this time, it might be a 3 setters. Who is going to win ? I don’t know, aside last week victory 60 61 of Jelena on Venus, it always been epic matches before. But on clay, Jelena leads 4-1 so, I gave a slight advantage to the Serbian.

Glory in Rome for Spaniard

I said Maria-José was dangerous, but i didn’t thought she would be that dangerous. The lefty found her way to the title, and won fair and square the finale match against a Jelena Jankovic who also had an incredible run this week.

After preventing an all Serbians finale by beating rather easily Ana Ivanovic, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez used her various weapons to end Jelena’s dream of winning a third title in 4 years in Rome and hold her most precious title to date.

Jelena had an impressive tournament this week, giving a tennis lesson to Venus, and able to run away with the win in semi after an epic battle with the younger sister, Serena Williams but Maria’s drop shots and consistency had the end of her.

Martinez was leading 5-2 when Jankovic started to climb back to even take the lead in the first set, but in a tight tie break, it wasn’t enough to cool down the Spaniard who finally buckled up the first set 76. The second was a little of the same story, Jankovic not able to capitaze in the important moment 75, give all credit her impressive opponent.

funny fact: if you look at the stats on the WTA tour, Maria-José is 1,76m and Jelena is 1,76m. O_o. I think they forget to update Maria's file. hihi

Pennetta might be struggling a little (a lot) in single, but she found a partner with whom it is good to win in double: Gisela Dulko. It is their third title in a row.

Rome so far

I was not totally wrong with my prediction : hitting the quart the final today, Serena Williams is still part of the draw, it wasn’t that easy thought, but it is her first tournament since Melbourne, so somehow, it is normal to struggle a little. She will be opposed to Maria Kirilenko, who sent packing last year finalist Kuznetsova. It will be an interesting match, more interesting that the sheet says, as Kirilenko could possibly surprise us and play another great match but would it be enough?

Sharar Peer tried but failed to give me right, when she lost to Venus Williams. No much problem for the American up to now, but she will have her hand full today, not sure she will survive this: Her opponent will be Jankovic who gave a tennis lesson to Wickmayer yesterday :those who thought that this would be the match of the day were wrong. I was! If the Serbian plays that kind of tennis today, Venus is out. But yesterday’s match was a way too easy so, let’s hope Jelena is able to keep her focus and if she does, she might even put her hand on her third title there. But can she beat and Venus and Serena in the same tournament? If someone can do that, it’s her.
Ana Ivanovic is having her best tournament in ages, beaten not only one, but two top 10 players. Last time she had beaten a top 10 players was 18 months ago. She was a little helped by her opponent, but still, she had to win : Azarenka was playing injured, couldn’t give a good performance crying all the time. And 33 unforced errors was a way too costly for Dementieva who tried to fight, but she couldn’t make it. The Serbian still misses, her ball toss is still a little deficient, but her forehand is more consistent but that might give her back her confidence. Now, if she can stop fist pumping on every point and stop acting like a baby, she wouldn’t be that annoying.

On the last part of the draw, Pennetta and Wozniacki lost indeed. Safarova sent out Pennetta, but the Italien is not going to pack yet, as she is playing in double with Dulko and the pair is the team to beat lately: they won the 2 last tournaments they participated in.
Safarova is actually on court right now fighting with the always tough to beat Maria Jose Sanchez Martinez who is responsible of Schiavone and Wozniacki’s lost. Always surprise that Spanish Veteran and she will probably go ahead for who knows, maybe a final?

Rome – My Prevision

It is Serena Williams return and she has draw that it’s a way too easy for her, although, we never know what to expect with such a diva; Let’s remind us that last year, she wasn’t able to perform on clay, losing 4 matches in a row before RG. But if she plays well, it should be easy to make it to the semi, unless Svetlana Kuznetsova decides that she feels for playing tennis.

Jelena Jankovic's performance here depends entirely of her consistency. The player who can stop her from reaching the semi final is Yanina Wickmayer. But then again, if Jelana is consistent, she will even make it to the final, but consistency is not an easy thing anymore for JJ, which was one of her strength before.

Sharar Peer might cause a surprise and beat the oldest Williams sister since we know that clay isn’t Venus’s best and Sharar is impressive these days.

On the bottom part of the draw, Dementieva has a very tough draw with Azarenka, and then, probably Petrova, who will most certainly beat Safina, but I think she will be the one standing out of the gang to reach the Semi: Azarenka is injured, Safina is still shaky, and Petrova is weaker mentally then she is.

It is hard to say what is going to happen on the last part of the draw. Wozniacki is there, but I still think she should rest her ankle. There are some great clay court player in the pack in Schiavone, Vinci and Martinez Sanchez. There is also Pennetta but aside her great performance for her country in the Fed Cup, the beautiful Italian is struggling a little lately but she would be my choice for a Semi here, if she was able to find her confidence back. And there is also Radwanska but i don’t know what to expect from her. Vinci might even send her out. Also, Hantuchova is in this part of the draw but if she survived Schiavone, I doubt she will pass Sanchez Martinez. If so, I say she might be the other semi finalist boosted by confidence.

Henin wins in Stuttgart

Justine Henin ended Samantha Stosur winning strike on Sunday, defeating the Aussie in 3 sets; 6-4, 2-6, 6-1. The first set was very tight, but it was Henin able to capitalize on key points that made the difference. In the second, Samantha shifted gear to surprise the Belgian but nervousness caught up with her in the last, her game slipping away from her grasp added to the fact that Henin was really playing great tennis then.

To make it there, it wasn’t that easy for those 2 players. Henin had to cross fire with Jelena Jankovic for another 3 setter match. 3-6, 7-6, 6-3. If Jelena wouldn’t have lacked of energy in the final set, maybe the story would have been different, but Justine keep her perfect H2H against the Serbian, now 10-0.

As for Samantha, it is against Dulgheru that she faced trouble. Playing too inconsistently against an opponent who had nothing to lose, she lost the first set, but came back strong.

In the performance worth mentioning, Sharar Peer had a great run. She defeated Radwanska then, she didn’t have much problem to get rid of Safina, who was playing her first tournament since she had worsened her back injury in Melbourne.

Wozniacki retired, her ankle being still injured. She should take a longer break if you ask me. If not, she is going to miss Roland Garros, or play poorly there. Anna Lapushchenkova (try to see it quickly for fun) defeated Victoria Azarenka (another injured player who should rest) and enjoy a great week with a semi here but Stosur was too strong.

Fed Cup Update

The fed cup was held this weekend, and some countries were playing for a lot. It was the semi-final in the world group. If Italia, defending Champ, lead by Pennetta didn’t have any problem to pass 5-0 Czech Republic, USA caused a huge surprise by throwing out Russia. Of course, Elena Dementieva was the only solid player to compete for her country, and she did one hell of a job winning her 2 singles matches, but at the end, it wasn’t enough, 3-2 USA.

On the world group play off, Belgium, despite a severe injury to Kim Clijters, the defeat of Justine Henin that came to the rescue, Wickmayer did good by winning her 2 singles matches. Before the end of the weekend, it was already 3-1 for the Belgian gals against Estonia.

Ukraine, deprived of one of the Bondarenko’s sister, was no match for the strong team of Australia. Samantha Stosus is a big order for any that stand in her way these days. 5-0.

The French team won against Germany in a decisive double match. Serbia, despite the surprise win for Bojana Jovanovski over Magadalena Rybarikova was thrown out of the world group 2-3 to the great despair of Jelena Jankovic who felt utterly responsible after losing a very close match against Hantuchova. Slovak move on 3-2.