Women's Power Rankings: May 25th

1. Dinara Safina: WTA Ranking: 1

Last Four Tournaments Played: Madrid [Winner]; Rome [Winner]; Porsche Grand Prix [Finalist] and Miami [Third Round].

With back-to-back victories in Madrid and Rome, Dinara Safina has firmly positioned herself as the top most player in the post-Henin, volatile era of Women's Tennis.

Now, as the action compass points towards the Parisian Slam, it becomes very important for Safina, in spite all her achievement in Rome and Madrid, to grab a still elusive Slam; though given her current run of form, it doesn't look like she is in any sort of "murky water" situation.

2. Svetlana Kuznetsova: WTA Ranking: 7

Last Four Tournaments Played: Madrid [Second Round]; Rome [Finalist]; Porsche Grand Prix [Winner] and Miami [Semi-Finals].

The former US Open Singles Champion is displaying a strong show of tennis making it appear as though she is a veteran at the job.

The 23 year old 2009 Oz Open Quarter Finalist will be trying her level best to match the level of her fellow Russian compatriots and standing at the threshold of the ultimate dirt championship, she will hope to display another example of her solid and determined game.

3. Victoria Azarenka: WTA Ranking: 9

Last Four Tournaments Played: Madrid [Third Round]; Rome [Semi-Finalist]; Porsche Grand Prix [Second Round] and Miami [Winner].

The 20 year old Belarussian who won her first WTA Masters at Miami, is a potential threat to the top bracket.

Having dismantled Serena Williams at Miami in the Finals, she was poised on the verge of surpassing Serena at the 2009 Oz Open though, unfortunately luck and health ran out on her forcing her to withdraw from the event.

She however looks rejuvenated and the climate at Roland Garros being totally dissimilar to Down Under, she looks capable of causing an upset or two.

4. Jelena Jankovic: WTA Ranking: 5

Last Four Tournaments Played: Madrid [Third Round]; Rome [Quarter Finalist]; Porsche Grand Prix [Quarter Finalist] and Marbella [Winner].

The Serbian No. 1 has vacillated throughout between periods of brilliance and below par mediocrity in the season so far and these days, unpredictability looks like second nature to JJ.

The former World No. 1 needs to prove a point or two desperately and nothing better than being a surprise package at the dirt, when no one is least expecting it.

5.Caroline Wozniacki: WTA Ranking: 10

Last Four Tournaments Played: Madrid [Finalist]; Rome [Third Round]; Porsche Grand Prix [Second Round] and Charleston [Finalist].

The 18 year old Dane's potential at present looks way way more than a World No. 10.

With age on her side, it's quite a possibility that we might see and hear more about Wozniacki's exploits and to judge her current level of play; the red dirt beckons attention to the city of fashion.

6. Elena Dementieva: WTA Ranking: 4

Last Four Tournaments Played: Madrid [Third Round]; Porsche Grand Prix [Semi Finalist]; Charleston [Semi Finalist] and Miami [Fourth Round].

The 2008 beijing Olympian has everything in her tennis carry bag, except a Slam victory.

At 28, Dementieva isn't getting any younger and while the threat of the younger players attacking with gutso, looms, her chances of winning her maiden Slam gets deteriorating further and further.

Roland Garros 2009 will definitely expect some positive backlash from the high on-court emotion prone Russian.

7. Amelie Mauresmo: WTA Ranking: 16

Last Four Tournaments Played: Madrid [Semi-Finalist]; Miami [Fourth Round]; Indian Wells [Third Round] and GDF Suez Open [Winner].

The winner of two Grand Slam titles and a former World No. 1, Mauresmo's recent performances are nothing extra-ordinary to talk about these days.

The Frenchwoman, a former Wimbledon victor will be hoping to set things right in her home country Slam starting this week, though her path seems to be full of road blocks.

It, however will be a monumental feat if Mauresmo manages to last the entire two week duration of the Parisian redness and perhaps a one, heralding a last comeback from her side.

8. Agnieszka Radwanska: WTA Ranking: 12

Last Four Tournaments Played: Madrid [First Round: Retd.]; Rome [Quarter Finalist]; Porsche Grand Prix [Quarter Finalist] and Miami [Fourth Round].

Another potential Top Ten candidate, Radwanska is a talent in the making and the upcoming French Open 2009 should help showcase her forte at the Slam level.

9. Venus Williams: WTA Ranking: 3

Last Four Tournaments Played: Madrid [Second Round]; Rome [Semi Finalist]; Charleston [Third Round] and Miami [Semi Finalist].

Younger sister Serena might be ahead in terms of WTA Rankings, but it's Venus who makes the first cut for the prodigal sisters in this week's edition of Power Rankings.

Clay, has never been the American's stronghold and even though Venus managed to reach till the semis at Rome, her performance faltered at the immediate next Madridian draw.

Coming to Paris this week, Venus has a huge backlog of "Settling Scores" and it remains to be seen whether the elder Williams will match the heightened expectation.

10. Serena Williams: WTA Ranking: 2

Last Four Tournaments Played: Madrid [First Round: Retd.]; Rome [Second Round]; Marbella [First Round] and Miami [Finalist].

Serena Williams has been plagued with injury on and off after her 10th Singles Slam title at the Oz Open this year; hence she finds herself at the 10th position in this week's Power Rankings.

With two more weeks to go in this year's clay season and given the weakness of the American in the dirt, in spite winning it in 2002; it looks a very Herculean task for Serena to beat the ranks of Safina and other youngsters who predominantly enjoy playing successfully in the dirt.

But, more than her opponents it will be her recurring injury which will pose a huge headache to Serena at Paris.

Outside Looking In:

1. Ana Ivanovic: WTA Ranking: 8

Last Four Tournaments Played: Madrid [Withdrawn due to injury]; Rome [Third Round]; Miami [Third Round] and Indian Wells [Finalist].

The 2008 French Open champion finds herself hurtling out of form post her victory run at Paris last year.

And coupling problems for her right now, is a knee injury which might affect her chances of defending her French Open crown successfully; therefore it remains to be seen how far Ana will last and outclass her competitors at the Eiffel Tower city in the coming fortnight.

2. Maria Sharapova: WTA Ranking: 64

Last Four Tournaments Played: Not Applicable.

The winner of three Grand Slam titles, Sharapova has been out of action for almost a year now. Her comeback appearance at the Warsaw Open though was cut short by Alona Bondarenko.

It's ironic that clay is the place where Sharapova is making a comeback when it can be touted as her biggest weakness and spoilsport.

Thus, it becomes an ambiguous situation if Sharapova isn't able to perform well at RG; with critics who can be expected to digress in both directions: Positive as well as negative.