posted May 18, 2008

With Henin retired, I think the womens game is far more open than ever. Serena Williams has been the best player on tour this year and if not for her injury, she could have gone onto win this Italian Open. Ivanovic, Sharapova, Jankovic, Kuznetsova Venus and even players like Safina and Dementieva will all be looking to the French Open along with Serena simply because that tournement has been dominated so much by Henin in recent times.

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posted May 18, 2008

My favorite for FO is in this order:

1, Serena W., Kuznetsova, Ivanovic.
4, Jankovic, Dementieva.
6, sharapova

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posted May 18, 2008

It's much more difficult this time around for Jelana "the wall with attitude" Jankovic.
Defending, as opposed to winning, titles.
And JJ successfully defended her Italian title, to make it her 6th career title win (out of 15 finals) and her 3rd Tier 1 and, of course, her 2nd in Rome.

Jelena didn't bring her 'A' game, she was making far more errors than usual, and she doesn't really reach shots successfully on her forehand side.
JJ just opens her grip and slides into a slice-forehand, which very few women can successfully execute.
Jelana Jankovic, above all, understands the full value of 'getting one more ball back into court'.
Jelena is on antibiotics, she had a nasal operation at the end of 2007 to ease her sinus problems, and had to endure a pain 'like a cramp' in her right shoulder but was still able to inflict the 'JJ torture chamber' on her young opponent.
JJ further confirmed Ricardo Sanchez, her coach's view, that she can be world No1.
Jelana moves to No 3 on the back of this victory.

The sensation of the tournament however, was 18 year old qualifier Alize Cornet.
The Tricolour Tennis Federation are over the moon with a find such as Alize Cornet!
Qualifier Alize surpassed expectations, and reached her own summit when she beat Italy's Francesca Schiavone in the second round, in ROME!
Alize 'little steps' Cornet is a magnificent court mover and is formidable off both wings.
Alize has a magnificent, impossible to read, open stance backhand, making it difficult to get a satisfactory look at the rackethead to get any reasonable read on it at all.
Alize will have learned an enormous amount this week, today was one match too many for Alize, who will rise to world No 22 tomorrow (from 34).
Alize Cornet is a player to keep a close eye on, she will do well at RG.

However, it is Jelena Jankovic we all must observe, you can write her into the quarter-finals, maybe the semis at RG, and it would be no big surprise at all for me, but very disappointing as I world No1 Maria Sharapova, to see her lift the trophy and secure her first 'slam' title.

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posted May 18, 2008

Conosu2,

I notice that you didn't say much about Cornet's semi-final against Chakvetadze which was dire.

fastesthariet,

While you may believe that Serena has been the form player this year, the race points disagree with you. Sharapova leads by a country mile despite having taken part in only 5 tournaments while Ivanovic and Jankovic are in 2 and 3 respectively. Serena is 4th while also having played 5 tournaments but her points per tournament are almost 100 less than Sharapova. So Williams trails Sharapova by almost 500 points.

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posted May 18, 2008

The major responsibilities for whatever aesthetic assessments are necessary for the Chakvetadze/Cornet match rest with the much more experienced and consistent, Anna Chakvetadze.
A-Chak, in trouble, tried to keep the ball in play by just pushing the ball over the net, slowing her rackethead down which didn't help the 'look' of the game at all.

Alize Cornet, over and over again, caught very wide, used her superb offensive backhand down the line to maximum effect.
Alize's game was not pretty, but got the job done!
There isn't a lot to Alize, just 130 lbs., but she transfers her weight to give maximum effect to every shot. Courageous, in her clay-stained top, she came through the enormous pressure of being a hairsbreadth away from her first Tier 1 final.

Aliza Cornet is a gutsy, feisty performer and one we will hear and see much, much, more of in the months and years ahead!

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posted May 18, 2008

As good a player as JJ is I do not see her going past the Q finals at the French. Why? Simple unlike Venus,Serena, Henin whom I am sad to see go and Sharapova both the Serbian girls(Anna) can not handle the pressure of winning grand slam.They lack in metal strength which the other 4 ladies have and thats what you need to win a slam. Therefore my Prediction for the French is this

Venus Williams
Serena Williams
Maria Sharapova
Elena Dementieava
Kuzy

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posted May 18, 2008

JJ?
her service is joke.and never will be number 1 on the world
fact she won-just mean one thing-woman tennis is so bad!

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posted May 19, 2008

In my view women's tennis is pathetic and those who watch it have too much time on their hands. One good rally among top-20 males offers more than a match between the boring, variationless grunters left with JH gone. If you go below the top 3 women (whatever the ranking says, those must be VW, SW and MS), female so-called top players have clear mentality and technical deficiencies that would get one nowhere among the men.

Equal pay and WTA attitude remind me of the UK housing market boom - I can only hope for a quick bust.

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