Clijsters Takes Aim in Melbourne.
Section One:
Really no reason to go into depth over Serena Williams’s section. Unless her leg strain gets serious or she collapses, no other player on her side will challenge her in the early rounds. Williams will find a way to work through her rough form in time for the later rounds. She could meet Victoria Azarenka, Vera Zvonareva or Ana Ivanovic in the quarters but do you really think any of those ladies has enough game to challenge Serena? That’s what I thought too.
Semifinalist: S. Williams
Players to Watch: Sabine Lisicki, Sam Stosur.
Section Two:
This part of the draw is somewhat wide open. Even though you’ve got Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki on opposite ends, plenty of other up and coming players could surprise here. Melanie Oudin could spark another run. Agnieska Radwanska also plays a steady enough game to help her chances.
Talk is already going on about a potential Venus/Serena semi. As much I would love to see Venus do well at the AO, I don’t see it happening. Wozniacki is ready for another Slam run.
Semifinalist: Wozniacki
Players to Watch: Shahar Peer, Lucie Safarova.
Section Three:
Justine Henin will have all eyes on her as she makes her AO return. But if she wanted to make a serious run at the title, her draw will not help her. Of the top seeds she could have faced early, Elena Dementieva is not the one to get. Dementieva’s form is steady having just won at Sydney and I don’t see Henin, who looked rusty in Brisbane, getting past the Russian.
Kim Clijsters, who many consider the event favorite, could face the talented Aravane Rezai early on and then Svetlana Kuznetsova in the fourth round. “Sveta” is a true wildcard and could either win it all or lose early. Even if Clijsters and Dementieva were to meet in the quarters, I think Clijsters’s win in Brisbane improved her confidence and will allow her to keep swinging away while daughter Jada dances in the stands.
Semifinalist: Clijsters
Players to Watch: Flavia Pennata, Yanina Wickmayer.
Section Four:
Of all the sections, this one is the most wide open. No. 2 Dinara Safina continued her slow starts in Sydney and whatever physical/mental issues she faced in 2009 do not seemed to have cleared up. Jelena Jankovic is also in this section, but like Safina, her form is all over the place.
The player no one is really talking about is Maria Sharapova. Her shoulder is better and she’s serving more consistently. If her game is on, I can see her taking advantage of her section and make her move back into top tier of the game.
Semifinalist: Sharapova
Players to Watch: Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez,
Semifinals:
S. Williams/Wozniacki and Clijsters/Sharapova
Despite the best efforts of Wozniacki and Sharapova, the power and poise of both Williams and Clijsters should get them into the finals. I think a lot of people would like to see a rematch between these two after their dramatic U.S. Open match which didn’t get a chance to really end properly. If Clijsters can play with the same relaxed confidence as she did in New York, she could find herself holding another trophy and sparking a new battle for No. 1.
Finals: Clijsters wins over Williams.
No related posts.
{ 1 comment }
i just love it when justine always surprised people at odds.
Comments on this entry are closed.