Who is your WTA pick for French Open ?

AngieB said:
Clay court tennis and the French Open are definitely in a transitional phase in the WTA. Its wide open since the last great French Open champions have left the sport: Sanchez-Vicario, Seles, Graf and Henin. No one seems to have a stronghold on the surface since.

Anything is possible.

AngieB
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Yes, because there aren't any "clay court specialists" on the women's tour, there actually might be someone who can win it besides the top 5 players. :)

I like the clay season because it all depends on mostly stamina, endurance, agility, and mental fortitude.
 
Tammo said:
I really dont know... and dont care. Besides Serena and a few others, WTA is a joke
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My feeling. It's not like I don't care though. I got lazy of Sharapova's endless ballbashing (if she had an ounce of strategy, she wouldn't be eating bagels and breadsticks baked by Serena), girls playing like goddesses and then awfully choking. Meh. In the early 2000's you could see good women tennis at least. Davenport, Henin, Williams sisters, Mauresmo, Hingis, Capriati, Clijsters, ect. I mean, when you have women so good strategically, how the hell you end up with brainless, choking ballbashers? I hope it won't last long and a new generation will replace those Mickey quickly.

My pick? Depends of the draw. S. Williams is hungry, Azarenka is hungry, Sharapova is hungry. A. Radwanska? I can't see it because she has a dirtballing game, and the clay will make her shots sit up waiting to be smashed away. Although I won't bet she won't either, since RG seems to like not having regulars winners on the women side all of sudden...
 
People love to cite Serena's first round exit last year, but in retrospect I think she was injured. She was SO dominant in Charleston and Madrid and made the semis at Rome, but gave a walkover due to back injury. Now that I've seen her play other matches with a back injury, I see how poorly she plays when it bothers her. Add to it how bad she wanted the FO (time is not on her side) and you get that bizarre meltdown.

I hope she wins, but would not bet on her or anyone to win it!
 
From the history of winners I would say anyone. Who ever wins the French usually is no surprise to me. If a player hasn't won a major, this is there best opportunity.
 
tennis_pro said:
Well since NadalAgassi predicted her to win 25 majors, she has to start collecting them fast cause she ain't 20 anymore.
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He once had a thread(got deleted) about Serena will end up with at least 20 slams by the end of 2013. That is of course, out of the question.
 
High street sw19 said:
Who cares it's women's tennis ;-)..........BTW Mattek are you kidding she is a clown.
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Wow...I'm a guy, and the funny thing is I make the same "Joke" about the mens side!

Basically I can watch all levels of woman's tennis...it is exciting..unpredictable...and BONUS...CAN BE DAMN GOOD LOOKING-LITERALLY!!!

Mens side..take it or leave it..honestly find no reason to watch any rounds outside of semi's. I find match ups outside the top 20 unwatchable.

Frankly..get a little weirded out by guys with undying loyalty to Rafa, Fed, etc. Always found "mancrushing" creepy.

When I describe my favorite players always get a surprised look from the guys I just beat with aggressive tennis when the first 3 on my list are chicks.

That being said...If Serena gets knocked out then Masha is the clear favorite...Nails is in the mix and I would not rule out Ana (the way she just played Masha), Kerber, Vinci, or Errani.

I give Vika, Wozzy, Petra, Aga..no chance
 
MJ4U said:
From the history of winners I would say anyone. Who ever wins the French usually is no surprise to me. If a player hasn't won a major, this is there best opportunity.
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This is a great point...there are truly so many "1 hit wonders" in the history of this slam...especially on the woman's side.
 
HRB said:
Why is this so damn important to people...Rafa Groans like he's taking a sh#t! TURN DOWN YOUR TV!
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Grunting =/= shrieking, which is what Shazzarenka do. The reason so many people hate it is because it is so blatantly fake and unnecessary (not to mention ****ing annoying). I wish the crowds would just laugh at them every time they hit the ball so they'd take the hint to shut the **** up.
 
tennis_pro said:
I pick anyone but Serena. She hasn't done anything in that tournament for more than a decade and her first round match in 2012 was plain riddiculous.
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that's an exaggeration......she has made like 3 qfs since her last win, with no henin, she as muchof a threat as anyone. heck sharapova won it last year.
 
70後 said:
I disagree. I see that loss to Razzano as a consequence of ill scheduling by the organisers who saw fit to play womens fifth seed in the evening so that by the time the match ended after 9 pm, the players were just fumbling around in the dark, hence all the drama on the mps. Doesn't matter if you are the fastest draw in the west or blind as a mole, if it is a shootout at 10 paces in pitch dark. Just some of those suspicious little things the slams pull. eg : the infamous Fed/Djok;Nad/Murray axiom. As for the question, I would like Serena to win it, if only for the enjoyment of seeing Navratilova's sour face get greener each slam Serena wins. If Serena doesn't, please let it be Li, who is really playing solid Big Four tennis these days, and after the total injustice of AO and Jamie/Serena/Li getting hurt one after another.
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not to mention playing a razzano who not only was playing w/an injury(that she milked all match). serena all had to deal with a heavily pro razzano crowd(she's french) that even had the french tennis prez, but the emotion of a veteran( just think of kimmo date krumm) who was playing for a dead loved one. that's tough. heck even the great nadal struggled against isner.
 
tennis_pro said:
NadalAgassi and THUNDERVOLLEY - yea whatever, I'll be first to bump your posts when Serena loses in one of the first 4 rounds again. There's a reason why she hasn't done anything at the FO in the last 10 years and luck has nothing to do with it. If she was a serious contender she'd at least reach the final once or twice in the last couple of years but hasn't.

Besides, NadalAgassi as far as I remember you've been picking Serena to do well at the FO since forever so no real surprise you're doing it again. And you're going to be dissapointed yet again.

To give credit to Serena, though, the FO is the only tournament when I'm fairly certain she'll fail to win. Every other tournament including all the Masters on clay she's the favorite in my eyes. Not at the FO, though. It's just not her turf.
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you are exposing yourself as a serena hater, she has made at least the qf except 3 times( and the 3 she didn't play) . and the other ones she lost- she lost to a cheating henin, a tough capriati, kuzzy,the winner that year, stosur who should have won and the emotional loss to razzano. the only bad loss was to srebotnik.
 
Tanya said:
Grunting =/= shrieking, which is what Shazzarenka do. The reason so many people hate it is because it is so blatantly fake and unnecessary (not to mention ****ing annoying). I wish the crowds would just laugh at them every time they hit the ball so they'd take the hint to shut the **** up.
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Unfortunately, that's not going to happen anytime soon. :|

When you see young juniors emulating the groans and shrieks from the professionals, then you know that it's a Hydra who has a head that keeps growing if you try and cut it off. :(
 
TERRASTAR18 said:
you are exposing yourself as a serena hater, she has made at least the qf except 3 times( and the 3 she didn't play) . and the other ones she lost- she lost to a cheating henin, a tough capriati, kuzzy,the winner that year, stosur who should have won and the emotional loss to razzano. the only bad loss was to srebotnik.
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Absolutely not. Man, she reached 3 quarters in the last 10 years. Even in her best years since 2003 she failed to do well at the FO, I'm just being rational unlike some Americans here who hold on to everything they have left since Americans suck in the ATP currently.
 
TERRASTAR18 said:
you are exposing yourself as a serena hater, she has made at least the qf except 3 times( and the 3 she didn't play) . and the other ones she lost- she lost to a cheating henin, a tough capriati, kuzzy,the winner that year, stosur who should have won and the emotional loss to razzano. the only bad loss was to srebotnik.
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I think most casual and avid tennis observers can readily identify that Serena has struggled more at the French Open, in comparison to her other grand slam appearances.

Serena's only win at the French Open was at the pennacle of her career, during her "Serena Slam". In spite of her anemic resume' in Paris, Serena is always viewed as a threat to win the tournament. She reserves that right having played well in other grand slam events.

While I may not agree, I do not blame others for feeling that she is not a threat to win the French Open given her current age and results in Paris since 2002. Serena's' game illuminates on faster surfaces and that is where it shines. However red clay often exposes the cracks in her formidable armour, as it has many great champions in tennis history: Pete Sampras, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, to name a few.

In order for Serena to once again win in Paris, she will have to completely forget her past in Paris and commit to winning it one last time. I've often wondered and even suspected that the close time frame between the French Open and Wimbledon hampered her motivation to play better at the French Open. It is easy to see why she would make London a priority. The switch from clay to grass is daunting for sure.

Its really in Serena's hands. She is the best player in the world right now. The question is, can Serena make the French Open a priority enough to win the tournament?

AngieB

AngieB
 
TERRASTAR18 said:
you are exposing yourself as a serena hater, she has made at least the qf except 3 times( and the 3 she didn't play) . and the other ones she lost- she lost to a cheating henin, a tough capriati, kuzzy,the winner that year, stosur who should have won and the emotional loss to razzano. the only bad loss was to srebotnik.
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Ivanovic, Safina, Schiavone, Clijsters and Kuznetsova have all made multiple French Open finals in the past decade....Serena has not. Just because you don't want to accept that Serena is weak on red clay doesn't mean others around here haven't made that realization by now. The only impressive name I listed is Kim...and maybe Kuzzy...the others...not in the least and they have all arguably outperformed Serena at the French. Even Sharapova has more SFs than Serena. Sorry...is she a great player overall yes....great on Red Clay...sorry no.She could still win it obviously, but compare her French resume to the other majors and she comes up insanely short. That is what is being said here. I honestly think anyone could win the thing but Serena would not be my first choice if I had to actually pick someone right now.
 
HRB said:
This is a great point...there are truly so many "1 hit wonders" in the history of this slam...especially on the woman's side.
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Yeah, I remember looking up the male winners several years ago over appx a 30 year period, roughly 1976 to 2006, and about 2/3 of the winners never won another Slam...and that includes the Dirtball Open itself.
 
The "Cow On Ice" looks really strong. I think Li has a better feel for clay than Sharapova.

Since I doubt Azarenka and Radwanska make the SF, you should see one or two dark horses emerge. Errani/Kerber/Kvitova/Cibulkova/Stosur/Jankovic might have a say in this.
 
soyizgood said:
The "Cow On Ice" looks really strong. I think Li has a better feel for clay than Sharapova.

Since I doubt Azarenka and Radwanska make the SF, you should see one or two dark horses emerge. Errani/Kerber/Kvitova/Cibulkova/Stosur/Jankovic might have a say in this.
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Vinci over Kvitova for a dh.
 
Great question! A number of players could win, but all have points against them as well.

I still think Serena wants another French before she's done and if she's fit and focused, I can see her winning, but we always say that. But, it won't be easy. Something always seems to happen at the French, whether on her end (nerves, simply not playing well) due to someone else (simply, a player playing better). I give her a good chance, though far from certain.

Sharapova - She's won it, so will be even more comfortable. She annoys a lot of people, but she's a hard worker, unbelievable competitor, and great ball striker. If she can minimize the serving woes and dictate points, she has a great shot. But, movement issues persist and if she has an off serving day (at least more off than usual), she won't win.

Azarenka - powerful, consistent, good defense. Slam champion confidence (which has been confirmed with her second slam). Not sure what form she's in though. I trust she'll be ready for Roland Garros.

Li - good movement, serve, power, past champion, has learned to (sometimes at least) be more patient and construct the points a little more. Has the game, but can be inconsistent and sometimes (but not always) mentally flighty. Depends on her draw, depends on her mindset, but there's at least a chance.

Kerber - quirky player, great offensive/defensive combo, can annoy people. She hasn't been as sharp lately, but she's performed good to great in Slams dating back to the 2011 USO, her break through. Not picking her, but if anyone is going to be a first-time winner, I'd pick Kerbs.

Kvitova. Much like Soderling, clay can actually assist her ball striking - she has more time, she's tall, so the ball is in her strikezone (or at least less out of it compared to other players), her power, while not as penetrating, is still effective. But, her mediocre movement can more readily be exposed. Plus, hasn't been really playing that great. If she shows improvement during the rest of the clay season, an outside chance. Draw dependent.

Radwa. We love her variety, we know she can frustrate opponents. But the crap second serve and lack of firepower will expose her again. A deep run, sure. A win, no.

Stosur. She likes clay and if she plays to her potential, she has an outside chance. But, that's a huge "if". As always, her mental issues will be tough to overcome for seven rounds. Maybe she'll be more relaxed with low expectations. Then again, she hasn't done anything this year. She'll need to do well pre-French and gain confidence.
 
Stosur looks done. She isnt young anymore, isnt she 29 now, and her late career stint as a top player was always an iffy thing to mantain which she already did for a few years (granted the same would apply to Na who is older and still going strong, but Na has a sounder technical game IMO). Last year she played some great tennis yet didnt get anything out of it really, and now she just seems to have let go completely.

Even if she were playing well she has so many bad matchups in the WTA elite (Kvitova, Azarenka, Sharapova, Venus if she still counts), and Serena will be hell bent every time she plays her after losing to her twice in slams, it would be a miracle to get a matchup friendly draw right to the very end for a 3rd time in her career in a slam.
 
HRB said:
Why is this so damn important to people...Rafa Groans like he's taking a sh#t! TURN DOWN YOUR TV!
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Pro tennis is an entertainment product. The shrieking irritates me and reduces my enjoyment to the point where I just don't care to watch it. And I don't see why I should have to have the tv on mute just to make it watchable. I'd rather just spend my time doing something else.

If it doesn't bother you, then good for you.

Tanya said:
Grunting =/= shrieking, which is what Shazzarenka do. The reason so many people hate it is because it is so blatantly fake and unnecessary (not to mention ****ing annoying). I wish the crowds would just laugh at them every time they hit the ball so they'd take the hint to shut the **** up.
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QFT
 
tennis_pro said:
He said 18-27 with his best guess being 25.

That's a wide span, though, it's like I said - I predict Djokovic to end up with 6-20 slams, lawl.
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not the same....in reality it just depends on how long serena stays....she's gonna get at least 18 by next year......
 
NadalAgassi said:
Stosur looks done. She isnt young anymore, isnt she 29 now, and her late career stint as a top player was always an iffy thing to mantain which she already did for a few years (granted the same would apply to Na who is older and still going strong, but Na has a sounder technical game IMO). Last year she played some great tennis yet didnt get anything out of it really, and now she just seems to have let go completely.

Even if she were playing well she has so many bad matchups in the WTA elite (Kvitova, Azarenka, Sharapova, Venus if she still counts), and Serena will be hell bent every time she plays her after losing to her twice in slams, it would be a miracle to get a matchup friendly draw right to the very end for a 3rd time in her career in a slam.
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Um.... S. Williams is 32 years old..
 
tennis_pro said:
Absolutely not. Man, she reached 3 quarters in the last 10 years. Even in her best years since 2003 she failed to do well at the FO, I'm just being rational unlike some Americans here who hold on to everything they have left since Americans suck in the ATP currently.
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this post is better than the last one you wrote and i can agree to an extent but outside of henin who else has done well at the french in that timespan? sharapova is the only multi-slam winner still playing at a high level that has won there.
 
AngieB said:
I think most casual and avid tennis observers can readily identify that Serena has struggled more at the French Open, in comparison to her other grand slam appearances.

Serena's only win at the French Open was at the pennacle of her career, during her "Serena Slam". In spite of her anemic resume' in Paris, Serena is always viewed as a threat to win the tournament. She reserves that right having played well in other grand slam events.

While I may not agree, I do not blame others for feeling that she is not a threat to win the French Open given her current age and results in Paris since 2002. Serena's' game illuminates on faster surfaces and that is where it shines. However red clay often exposes the cracks in her formidable armour, as it has many great champions in tennis history: Pete Sampras, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, to name a few.

In order for Serena to once again win in Paris, she will have to completely forget her past in Paris and commit to winning it one last time. I've often wondered and even suspected that the close time frame between the French Open and Wimbledon hampered her motivation to play better at the French Open. It is easy to see why she would make London a priority. The switch from clay to grass is daunting for sure.

Its really in Serena's hands. She is the best player in the world right now. The question is, can Serena make the French Open a priority enough to win the tournament?

AngieB

AngieB
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good post. i would also add thehostile crowds didn't help either.
 
boredone3456 said:
Ivanovic, Safina, Schiavone, Clijsters and Kuznetsova have all made multiple French Open finals in the past decade....Serena has not. Just because you don't want to accept that Serena is weak on red clay doesn't mean others around here haven't made that realization by now. The only impressive name I listed is Kim...and maybe Kuzzy...the others...not in the least and they have all arguably outperformed Serena at the French. Even Sharapova has more SFs than Serena. Sorry...is she a great player overall yes....great on Red Clay...sorry no.She could still win it obviously, but compare her French resume to the other majors and she comes up insanely short. That is what is being said here. I honestly think anyone could win the thing but Serena would not be my first choice if I had to actually pick someone right now.
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but the question is based on there form are they threats? ivanovic, schiavone and kuzzy are playing terrible. safina and clijsters are retired. so of course serena is favored over them. outside of maria( who loses more often than not to serena and they are on different sides of the draw) who would be favored over serena. i'm not saying serena will win but outside of picking the random option there is no one favored over.
 
TERRASTAR18 said:
but the question is based on there form are they threats? ivanovic, schiavone and kuzzy are playing terrible. safina and clijsters are retired. so of course serena is favored over them. outside of maria( who loses more often than not to serena and they are on different sides of the draw) who would be favored over serena. i'm not saying serena will win but outside of picking the random option there is no one favored over.
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Despite the fact that every year she enters she is supposedly the favorite especially since 2008 since Henin quit and ran away she has still failed to even make another SF since 2003. You can try and rationalize it all you want but she has a pretty horrible track record at the French Open for "the best player of her generation". When players like Schiavone and Ivanovic have arguably outperferformed her overall at the french that says something.

I was of course not talking about current level of play..but overall performance throughout careers. Serena overall at the French has been outperformed by quite a few people and every year she has failed to do well despite plenty of chances to win another
You can try and rationalize it all you want to try and make Serena look good and yourself feel better but the results are pretty solid in what they show.
 
As long as Serena is still playing in the tour, she's the man! Seems like no one has the guts to play against her.
 
boredone3456 said:
Despite the fact that every year she enters she is supposedly the favorite especially since 2008 since Henin quit and ran away she has still failed to even make another SF since 2003. You can try and rationalize it all you want but she has a pretty horrible track record at the French Open for "the best player of her generation". When players like Schiavone and Ivanovic have arguably outperferformed her overall at the french that says something.

I was of course not talking about current level of play..but overall performance throughout careers. Serena overall at the French has been outperformed by quite a few people and every year she has failed to do well despite plenty of chances to win another
You can try and rationalize it all you want to try and make Serena look good and yourself feel better but the results are pretty solid in what they show.
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but that's not the issue....serena is one of the favorites because she has the game to win and has the ability to win. it's semantics to say she didn't reach the semis because many times she lost to the finalist/champion, alot of ppl lost to those players. frankie and ana's overall fo record isn't near serena's. frankie in fact had a cakewalk title and ana won during the post henin frenzy. in fact neither did much outside of 2 years. of the current players, only sharapova has results that are similar to serena's at rg.
 
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