French Open 2011 Odds: The 15 Women Most Likely To Win on the Red Clay
At first glance, the 2011 French Open women's draw may look weaker than it has in years.
There are glaring absentees (Serena and Venus Williams), highly ranked players with no major titles (Caroline Wozniacki and Vera Zvonerava), and hard-hitters that have yet to conquer the obstacles that are faced in Grand Slam tournaments (Victoria Azarenka and Petra Kvitova).
Of course, there are also the veterans that have won at the game's grandest stage (Kim Clijsters and Maria Sharapova), the reigning champion that made a Cinderella run here just last season (Francesca Schiavone) and even the players that are currently flying under-the-radar (Na Li and Sam Stosur).
So you see, regardless of the overall strength of this year's draw, there are a number of different players that will have the opportunity to walk away with the title at Roland Garros. There are also a number of different players outside of the Top 10 that will challenge the top seeds to perform at their highest level.
The following is a list that comprises the top 15 women with the best chance of winning this season's French Open and the women that have proven over the year that they have what it takes to compete for the title.
15. Flavia Pennetta (Italy, 14-8 Record This Year)
1 of 15
While Flavia Pennetta may be suffering from a number of lackluster losses in a row (dating all the way back to Indian Wells), she always seems to improve her game once she hits clay. While she has yet to win a match on the surface this season, Pennetta is looking to get back on track once she begins play at Roland Garros.
Last season, Flavia performed admirably at the French Open by reaching the Round of 16. Once she advanced to the fourth round, however, she fell to Caroline Wozniacki, current world No. 1, in a very close match, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4), 2-6.
This year, Flavia Pennetta will look to advance further than the Round of 16, a feat that would potentially include beating Fed Cup partner Francesca Schiavone or China's up-start Shuai Peng.
Regardless of her opponent, however, Pennetta will be one of the toughest women competing on the red clay and has the game to pull off an upset in any round.
14. Shuai Peng (China, 34-11 Record This Year)
2 of 15
Shuai Peng, who has compiled an outstanding record on tour this season, had been flying under-the-radar until her run in Brussels just recently. Garnering attention from a number of different media outlets, Peng defeated Vera Zvonareva in the tournament semifinals before making her way to a championship matchup against world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki.
While Peng was successful in taking the first set against the Dane, she was not able to capitalize on a number of different opportunities in the second and third set, losing to Wozniacki by a score of 6-2, 3-6, 3-6.
Though she did lose in the finals at Brussels, Peng has proven that she will be among the contenders on the red clay at Roland Garros and is currently playing with a ton of confidence.
She didn't compete in the 2010 French Open, but Shuai Peng will look to make a loud splash when she finally begins play in Paris this season.
13. Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia, 16-11 Record This Year)
3 of 15
Dominika Cibulkova, who reached the third round at Roland Garros last season before falling to Venus Williams, will look to build off her prior experiences in Grand Slam tournament play. Standing at just 5'3", Cibulkova relies on her speed and all-court game in order to compete with the hard-hitters on tour.
While her height may become a hinderance when she is competing on hard courts (because of the power that many of the players can generate on the surface), clay is a neutralizer that allows Cibulkova to use her weakness as a strength. That is how she advanced to the third round last year and how she will look to go even further this season.
Although 2011 hasn't been a huge success for Cibulkova, she has had recent success on clay. Her performance last year at the French Open, as well as her play at smaller clay-court tournaments, backs up that belief.
While Dominika Cibulkova is a sure bet to make it to the third round (she faces Vania King in the first round and a potential qualifier in the second), she will have to deal with the hard-hitting Petra Kvitova in order to reach the Round of 16 for the second time in her career.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
12. Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic, 29-6 Record This Year)
4 of 15
Known for her fierce groundstrokes and hard-hitting mentality, Petra Kvitova has slowly made a name for herself in the tennis world. By using a go-for-broke style of play, Kvitova is able to hang with and beat any player competing in tennis now if she is consistently hitting her shots, an aspect of her game that scares many of the top players on tour.
Although she is primarily praised for her results on a hard court, her recent win at the Madrid Open against a number of skilled clay-court players has ushered in a new aspect of her game. Wins against Vera Zvonareva, Na Li, Dominika Cibulkova and Victoria Azarenka in that tournament have proven that she is a force to be reckoned with on clay.
After failing to advance out of the first round here last season, even after blowing her opponent out in the opening set before losing 6-1, 2-6, 2-6, Kvitova has since evolved into a completely different player.
If the top seeds all advance, Kvitova would face Dominika Cibulkova in the third round and then a potential showdown with Na Li in the Round of 16.
11. Na Li (China, 19-8 Record This Year)
5 of 15
Li Na has proven that she is one of the best women tennis players competing today. While she has yet to achieve much on the red clay of Roland Garros, she has performed well in the other Grand Slam tournaments around the globe. This season, however, may be the best time for the chinese woman to prove she is a talented clay-courter and win her very first Major title.
After last season's loss to eventual champion Francesca Schiavone in the third round, losing by a score of 4-6, 2-6, Li Na is looking to advance past the Round of 16 at the French Open for the first time in her career.
Although she has been considered by many to be a hard-court player, with semifinal appearances at both the Madrid and Rome Opens, that assumption is slowly beginning to diminish. With her consistent groundstrokes and all-court game finally coming together on clay, this may be the year for Li Na to win her very first Grand Slam title.
Her portion of the draw is also very promising, although a potential fourth-round matchup against Petra Kvitova and a possible quarterfinal matchup against Victoria Azarenka may be contests that she would have rather not faced early on.
Regardless, Li Na is sure to improve her results from just one year ago with an all-around remake of her clay-court game.
10. Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia, 17-11 Record This Year)
6 of 15
Svetlana Kuznetsova must always be considered one of the favorites once the clay-court season begins and the French Open arrives. With her all-around game built specifically for clay, she has consistently performed well in clay-court events such as Madrid, Rome and even the French Open in Paris.
After a very successful 2009 campaign, in which she was also named the French Open champion, Kuznetsova has seen her stellar play and results begin to take a nosedive. Once a Top 10 player for several years in a row, Svetlana is just now beginning to make her way back into the Top 15, reaching a season high of No. 13 just last week.
While she has yet to perform well on clay this season, uncharacteristically losing in the first rounds of both the Madrid and Rome Opens, Kuznetsova will once again look to reclaim the type of play that won her the title at Roland Garros back in 2009.
The only major threat that would prevent a potential Kuznetsova vs. Wozniacki Round of 16 matchup seems to be Shahar Peer, the tournament's No. 19 seed and an extremely up-and-down player on tour.
If Svetlana can make it to the fourth round, look for her to show the "Great Dane" a thing or two about playing on a clay court.
9. Julia Goerges (Germany, 22-10 Record This Year)
7 of 15
Julia Goerges became known for her role as the upset queen during the early part of the clay-court season, upending world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in both the Stuttgart and Madrid tournaments. While her aggressive style of play allowed her to take full control of her matches against Wozniacki, it was in fact the German's all-court game that has allowed her to flourish on tour.
Once a player that was losing to American Melanie Oudin in tournaments regularly, Goerges has since improved her game dramatically, making her way into the Top 20 rankings and garnering attention from tennis fans across the globe.
Throughout the course of just three clay-court tournaments, Goerges has racked up wins against a number of talented players, including Shahar Peer, Victoria Azarenka, Sam Stosur, Caroline Wozniacki, Kaia Kanepi and even former No. 1 Dinara Safina.
Luckily for Goerges, and perhaps a major blow to Wozniacki's tournament chances, the German and Dane are on a collision course for a potential quarterfinal matchup. If they both can advance to that point, would the third time be a charm for Wozniacki, or would she once again fall to Goerges?
8. Jelena Jankovic (Serbia, 24-11 Record This Year)
8 of 15
Jelena Jankovic, a former world No. 1 and Grand Slam finalist, has always been considered a threat on the red clay of Roland Garros. A French Open semifinalist in 2008 and 2010, Jankovic will look to reach the championship match in Paris for the first time in her career. That feat may become more difficult this season, given the fact that her results on clay so far this year have left little to be desired.
Once a defensive specialist and a player that possessed a potent backhand, Jelena has seen her ranking and results slip since she reached the sport's ultimate peak in 2009. While she still is a player that is feared by many, most players that can power shots past her and break her serve will have little difficulty in dismissing the Serbian early.
While she has yet to consistently perform well at each of the individual majors, Jankovic has proven that she has what it takes to compete at the highest level each and every time she steps foot on the red clay of Paris.
The draw, however, may not work in her favor. A potential Round of 16 matchup against reigning champion and clay-court specialist Francesca Schiavone may be the end of the road for Jankovic; but, given her recent success at the French Open, the match could go either player's way!
7. Sam Stosur (Australia, 19-12 Record This Season)
9 of 15
The runner-up in Paris just one year ago, Sam Stosur has the serve and aggressive clay-court game to once again reach the championship match at this year's French Open. While her results this year have not been up to par from last season, Stosur is always a threat to perform at optimum level once a Grand Slam tournament arrives.
After defeating last year's two French Open favorites Justin Henin and Serena Williams in back-to-back matches, Stosur proved that she could beat any player on tour on any given surface. Prior to her run in Paris last season, Stosur's game was much better suited for the likes of a fast hard court.
There are a number of potential slip-up points for the Aussie when looking at this year's draw, including a possible third round matchup with Gisela Dulko, a potential fourth-round matchup with up-start Julia Goerges, or even a quarterfinal match against world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki.
Still, if Stosur can maintain the type of play that she exhibited at Roland Garros last season, it's hard to imagine her losing in the tournament at all. This could be the perfect time for the Aussie to finally win a Grand Slam title.
6. Victoria Azarenka (Belarus, 27-8 Record This Year)
10 of 15
Victoria Azarenka, a very talented young player from Belarus, is probably the player with the most potential in all of tennis. With her effective serves, accurate groundstrokes and great defense, as well as possessing the loudest grunts, or shrills, in women's tennis (Sorry Sharapova), Azarenka has great up-side for the future.
While she has had a number of opportunities in past Grand Slam tournaments to prove that she is a player to fear, most notably her epic collapse against Serena Williams in last year's Australian Open (in which she led 6-4, 4-0, before losing), Victoria has since improved mentally and will be a difficult player to stop if she is playing well.
Although she was dominated in her first-round loss to Gisela Dulko last year, in which she was beaten by a score of 1-6, 2-6, Azarenka has risen to a career-high ranking of No. 4 and has the potential to rise even higher with a good showing at Roland Garros.
Victoria Azarenka has been labeled as a young player on the rise throughout her short career, but with a favorable draw and an improving clay-court game, she could potentially redefine herself as a proven champion by winning this year's French Open title.
5. Vera Zvonareva (Russia, 26-8 Record This Year)
11 of 15
Vera Zvonareva has dramatically transformed herself from a player that was once labeled as a threat to herself (because of anger issues) to a player that is now mentally stable and in contention for any tournament title that she competes. That was made evident after she reached both the Wimbledon and US Open Championship matches last season, before falling to Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters, respectively.
Since that time, Zvonareva has become one of the most consistent performers on tour, reaching the semifinals and finals of most every tournament she enters. While she has been on a slow decline once the clay-court season arrived, however, she has still proven that she can manage her way through the draw of any major tournament.
Although she was upset last season in Paris in the second round, Zvonareva has slowly improved her all-court game, and it has translated to better results on clay. While that doesn't guarantee positive results for the next couple of weeks, it does prove that Zvonareva has learned how to control her shots on a clay court.
The draw was very favorable to the Russian as well, with her first considerable test coming in a potential quarterfinal matchup against either Francesca Schiavone or Jelena Jankovic. While Zvonareva is not a natural clay-courter, if she has proven just one thing over the past year, it is that she will fight hard against any player on any given surface.
4. Kim Clijsters (Belgium, 21-4 Record This Year)
12 of 15
If Kim Clijsters had competed in just one clay-court tournament this season, she would have probably been the favorite for this year's French Open. After all, she has won the past two Grand Slam titles, at last season's US Open and at this year's Australian Open. She hasn't had the opportunity to compete in a single clay court tournament to date, however, due to a non-sports related injury to her foot.
According to several media sources, as well as from Clijsters herself, she has stated that she will compete in the 2011 French Open with her foot and ankle wrapped, even without any preparation for the red clay prior to her arrival in Paris.
While Serena Williams was able to win the 2007 Australian Open after she had been out of tennis for several months due to injury, no offense to Clijsters, but she is no Serena. She may have the opportunity to make an extended run at Roland Garros, but in no way do I see Clijsters going on to win her third major championship in a row.
Her unfavorable draw should give people even more doubts about her winning the title, with potential matches against Maria Kirilenko, Andrea Petkovic and even Maria Sharapova in her way of a semifinal berth. I'm not counting Kim out, especially with her outstanding style of play; however, it will be a difficult challenge for Clijsters—that is, if she's up for it!
3. Maria Sharapova (Russia, 21-6 Record This Year)
13 of 15
Maria Sharapova is one of the hardest workers in women's tennis, and her hard work paid off in last week's Rome Open. Throughout the tournament, she possessed poise and great shot making in defeating the likes of Shahar Peer, Victoria Azarenka, Caroline Wozniacki and Sam Stosur. That great play led her to the Rome title, and let everyone in the tennis world know that Maria was truly back.
Following an upset loss to Dominika Cibulkova in the Madrid Open Round of 16, Sharapova analyzed where she had gone wrong and what aspects of her game she needed to work on. She continued to work on those various flaws until the Rome Open arrived, in which she displayed the tenacity that had once made her a top tier player.
With her confidence level at an all-time high following shoulder surgery two years ago, Sharapova is back to the old form that dominated the 2008 Australian Open's field and won her the title. If Maria can just control her shots while also confidently serving, there is no doubt that she will be one of the major favorites to win in Paris.
While Kim Clijsters is a potential quarterfinal threat, the remainder of her side of the draw is very favorable. The highest seed that she would face before Clijsters in Agnieszka Radwanska, who has been struggling of late and possesses no major shots that could harm Sharapova.
Take notice tennis world: If Maria Sharapova can play just as she did in last week's Rome Open, then the old Maria is finally back and may complete the career slam!
2. Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark, 38-7 Record This Season)
14 of 15
You may be puzzled with this decision, but that's definitely okay with me! While Caroline Wozniacki is currently the world No. 1 in women's singles, she has yet to fully prove herself of the top ranking (i.e. win a Major title). Although she has reached a Grand Slam singles final, she failed to win and is still seeking her first Major title.
The 2011 season has been a special one for the Dane, as she has compiled an outstanding 38-7 record on the year and has won titles in Dubai, Indian Wells, Charleston and Brussels. While these results are very impressive, including making the finals of eight tournaments combined, she still has yet to perform well at the sport's grandest stage.
This may very well be her opportunity to win a Grand Slam title and prove her worth on tour, but after losing to Francesca Schiavone in last year's quarterfinals, it's hard to imagine that Wozniacki will be able to improve her results from a year ago given her draw.
In addition to possible matchups with Daniela Hantuchova or Svetlana Kuznetsova (both proven veterans) before the quarterfinals, she may face last year's runner-up Sam Stosur or her, albeit, "kryptonite" of Julia Goerges just for a spot in the semifinal stage.
While her successful season is sure to continue beyond Paris, I see her unfavorable draw, and the pressure of finally winning a major title, as being too much for Wozniacki to handle.
1. Francesca Schiavone (Italy, 17-11 Record This Season)
15 of 15
Finally, to find the woman most likely to win on the red clay of Roland Garros, look no further than to last year's champion—Francesca Schiavone! The Italian displayed great pride, passion and ability in winning the 2010 French Open title, and I expect to see much more of the same from her this season.
Once the final point of the tiebreak was won and the match was clinched by the Italian against Sam Stosur, 6-4, 7-6 (2), Schivone dropped to the red clay full of excitement and joy. The happiness that she felt in that moment had to make any fan of the sport proud, as Francesca was always seen as a threat on tour but never a contender for a major title.
The win also gave other veteran players hope that they too, just as Schiavone, could win a Grand Slam title—even after their prime. As it turns out, however, the Italian may still be in her prime.
After a hard-fought match against Wozniacki in the semifinals of Brussels ended in a loss, it still had to give Schiavone a ton of confidence heading into Paris. Not only did the three-set loss against the world No. 1 mean that she could still compete with the Top 10 players, but it also meant that she could still repeat as the French Open champion.
The Italian has a number of different threats in her side of the draw, but if she can display the same type of positive attitude towards this tournament as she did just one year ago, there's no doubt that Schiavone can once again reign as the champ at Roland Garros.
For that reason alone, Francesca Schiavone is the most likely player in the women's field to win on the red clay in Paris!
Follow me on Twitter: @Tblamb2you2
Email me: Tblambyou2@Yahoo.com
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
