French Open women’s preview: Henin & who else? - 網球

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French Open women’s preview: Henin & who else?

Contenders for the women's singles crown this year include Justine, Serena,
Svetlana, Jelena, and, er... After a few years of, even the players think
this year's shortlist is quite short.

By William Johnson

The next two weeks will show if anyone can pry the French Open women's
singles trophy away from Justine Henin, who comes into the event as the
three-time defending champion and heavy favorite.

ROME—When Serena Williams was asked to list the five players who stand the
best chance of winning the French Open, she replied: “Rafael Nadal, Roger
Federer...”
No, Serena – for the women’s singles.

Ah.

“Myself, Justine Henin and Venus,” she continued.

Maybe it was the Australian Open champion’s clever way of concealing the
fact that the only rivals she respects going into the second major of the
year are world No. 1 Henin and her big sister. And though respect she has,
fear she certainly does not.

Serena, fitness permitting, plans to be the dominant force again in the
majors this year and resume the global supremacy she enjoyed from the summer
of 2002 to the summer of 2003, when she won five of the six majors played
during this period. Her Roland Garros triumph in 2002 began a run of four
straight Slam wins that came to be known as the “Serena Slam.”

Though she made an earlier-than-planned departure from her one warm-up
tournament – the Italian Open, where she was squeezed out in a final-set tie
break in the quarterfinals – Serena believes she is approaching peak form
again.

Cheekily, she maintained the defeat would make her better prepared for Roland
Garros because it would give her more time to work on her form and physical
condition. “I'm going to obviously want to work harder and just do some
things differently,” she said after the loss. “Actually, not winning today
is going to work well for me. I'm going to get even more fit.”

Four-time champion Henin, who missed Rome in order to enjoy a greater rest
before seeking a third straight crown in Paris, did not dwell on the names of
her fiercest rivals when asked for her Roland Garros contenders. She
preferred to list the credentials required to survive a gruelling fortnight
of often long matches on the red clay.

“The winner will be somebody who has great experience of big matches,” said
the Belgian. “I remember my first big match at the French Open against
Lindsay [Davenport] in 1999.

“I was very close to winning it. I lost 7-5 in the third but when I was
serving for the match I thought I could be one of the best players in the
world and that’s one of the reasons why I lost.

“A few years later you can feel the experience and it’s much better. I feel
I can deal with difficult situations much better than I did in the past.”

Svetlana Kuznetsova has had some experience coping with Grand Slam pressure,
joining the winners club at Flushing Meadows in 2004 and facing Henin in last
year’s Roland Garros final. Though she has often struggled mentally at other
times, the Russian is still rated a solid contender by Henin. “She has the
potential to go all the way,” said Henin.

Having reached finals in both Berlin and Rome, Kuznetsova may prove to be the
best bet of a cluster of Russians among the world’s top 20, considering
Maria Sharapova’s fitness problems. She defeated Henin in the Berlin
semifinals only to lose a final-set tie-break to Ana Ivanovic a few hours
later – matches had been delayed all week because of rain.

Winning a Grand Slam is one of the greatest achievements you can have in
sport,” said Kuznetsova. “It is going pretty well and I am getting better.
I am getting in shape and being really happy about everything.”

Her powerful compatriot Nadia Petrova came in as one of the favorites last
year, but is short on form and fitness this time around. Still, she warns, “
It is about time for me to win a Grand Slam. I would like to think I would
win a Grand Slam this year. If I’m fit and injury free I can do anything.”

The two rising Serbian stars are feeling equally bullish after their
impressive displays on the European clay. Ivanovic won the Berlin title and
Jelena Jankovic did the same in Rome the following week. Jankovic’s third
tournament victory of the season tied her with Henin for the most titles won
on tour this year. But she still rates herself far behind the Belgian when it
comes to her chances on the French clay. “I don't know,” said Jankovic,
when asked if she was the favorite. “I won this tournament [Rome], you know
why? Because Henin didn't come. So for me she is the one, and Svetlana is playing really well. We'll see,
anything can happen.”

Then there is the darling of the Parisian crowd – Amelie Mauresmo, the
Wimbledon champion who would do anything to win on home territory. Desperate
for match practice and a confidence boost this month after returning from
appendix surgery, she got neither as she was sent packing early from both
Berlin and Rome.

Perhaps her dismal record on 12 previous appearances at Roland Garros was the
reason Serena pointedly omitted her from her short list. If there is a plus
for Mauresmo, it is that she comes in with less pressure than she has ever
had since her surprise run to the Australian Open final in 1999.


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