Roland Garros Preview - 網球

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May 27, 2006

Roland Garros Preview

PARIS, France - Although she has been one of the most successful players on
the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour so far this season, it will be a long, tough road
to title defense for Justine Henin-Hardenne this fortnight on the slow, red
clay of Roland Garros, as the Belgian will have to fend off inspired
opponents from all directions.

Henin-Hardenne, seeded No.5 at the year's second Grand Slam, has been an
extremely consistent competitor so far this season, reaching the semifinals
or better at six of seven events in compiling a 27-5 overall record. Although
she has captured two titles already this year, neither of them have come on
clay, a stark contrast to her 17-match, three-tournament clay court streak
heading into Roland Garros last year. However, she has won Roland Garros in
two of the last three years (2003, 2005), and history does have a way of
repeating itself come crunch time at the majors.

Touted by many as one of the most dangerous players in this year's draw is
No.3 seed Nadia Petrova, who is unbeaten on clay on the Tour this season.
Petrova's 15-0 season record on the dirt includes consecutive title runs at
Amelia Island, Charleston and Berlin (where she beat Henin-Hardenne in the
final). The Russian is also a two-time Roland Garros semifinalist (2003,
2005), so this tournament holds special importance for her. She is in fact
projected to face Henin-Hardenne in the quarterfinals, making the third
quarter arguably the toughest of them all.

The other quarters are also tough, including top seed Amelie Mauresmo's.
Ranked and seeded No.1 for the first time at a major, and no less in front of
her adoring fans at Roland Garros, Mauresmo looks to finally break through
here. In her 11 career appearances, her best results are two quarterfinal
finishes, and last year she was ousted in the first week in one of the
fortnight's biggest upsets. This year she could face some more resistance in
her section, including No.7 seed Patty Schnyder, No.11 seed Venus Williams,
and an intriguing opening round match against American Meghann Shaughnessy,
who just last week won her first title in three years at Rabat. But with the
Australian Open title under her belt, Mauresmo's time may finally come.

Second seed Kim Clijsters, twice a runner-up at Roland Garros, will have to
play her best tennis to get out of her quarter of the draw. The Belgian, who
was ranked No.1 for a short period of time earlier in the season, could face
either No.6 seed Elena Dementieva or No.12 seed Martina Hingis in the round
of eight, both of those players being reigning Tier I titlists (Dementieva at
Tokyo [Pan Pacific], Hingis just over a week ago at Rome) as well as former
Roland Garros finalists themselves (Dementieva in 2004, Hingis in 1997 and
1999).

Two players who dominated the American hardcourt swing earlier this season
highlight the remaining quarter, namely No.4 seed Maria Sharapova and No.8
seed Svetlana Kuznetsova. Sharapova, winner at Indian Wells, is a two-time
Roland Garros quarterfinalist. Kuznetsova, winner at Miami, has reached the
fourth round in both of the last two years, but has lost to the eventual
champion each time, incidentally holding match point in both losses. Prior to
the projected all-Russian quarterfinal, Sharapova might have to face No.14
seed and recent Rome finalist Dinara Safina, while Kuznetsova may have to
deal with one of two Italian clay court overachievers, namely No.9 seed
Francesca Schiavone and No.17 seed Flavia Pennetta.

Other names to look for in the draw include 2004 Roland Garros champion
Anastasia Myskina, seeded No.10, who lurks in Henin-Hardenne's section of the
draw, and German rising star Anna-Lena Groenefeld, seeded No.13, who lurks in
Petrova's section.

With so many names in the mix, Roland Garros is sure to provide some of the
most memorable matches women's tennis has had to offer in recent memory.

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第三區還挺硬的...兩大熱門+04年冠軍
不過記得去年Henin的簽運也不好
但還是拿冠軍
今年加油 一路殺殺殺....

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