French Open: Ladies! What's Goin' On? Top Seeds Out? Will Anybody Step Up?

I have had it with these ladies.  Where is the Amazon?  The Virago? Wonder Woman of the tennis world?

OK, I get it that Kim Clijsters had an injury and anyways is thinking that this is her last season (burnout?)

I feel for Caroline Wosniaki.  A likeable person doing the day-in and day-out as required to stay on top, but doing the safe and risk-free, unable yet to stretch herself and be the fiery, Viking-style, blond-hair floating in the breeze of her powerful groundstrokes that ignites fear in all comers and worshipful admiration from the stands.

Next up is Vera Zvonareva. Wither Thy Flujones? Emotionalism on court is OK.  (Look at John McEnroe, for heaven's sake—here's a guy who could get himself worked up with a few choice arguments with the umpire.  Or Marat Safin, for goodness sakes, who would do the racket smash to pull himself out of a funk.)  

There IS crying in ladies' tennis!  But a world No. 3 who has been to the finals of a grand slam before should be prepared to seize her opportunities when the way is cleared out before her.  The simple problem here is knowing how to win. 

Same with Sam Stosur. (I think.  Not really sure what her issue is). Victoria Azarenka.

In fact, I'll be honest. We lived through the ages of Dinara Safina, Jelena Jankovic, and Anna Ivanovic, who struggled to make the position of No. 1 a living and breathing event for them.

My favorite who never got there was Elena Dementieva, who had a beautiful game (on display most perfectly in her semifinal with Serena  Williams at Wimbledon in 2008).

I'm wondering if there's a whole generation of ladies stars who are about to give way to the next generation.  That next generation would include: Petra Kvitova (a Wimbledon semi-finalist), Caroline Garcia (who almost beat Sharapova the other day) and Andrea Petkovic (who does that dance when she wins).  Is it to be one of these ladies who will step up and be the one?

If I sound like I'm whining, I am.

I miss our great ladies' champions of the past, including Monica Seles! Steffi Graf! Martina! And Serena! Or even the inimitable Suzanne Lenglen herself!  Billy Jean King. These ladies "did it like no other."  I'd love to have one of our current group of ladies walk onto court known as 'Frauline Forehand,' or someone who has an enormous court presence.

But wait!  What are those roars I hear?

Is Francesca Schiavone the person that I seek? (grins). I have learned to admire her, particularly after her heartbreaking win at the Australian Open versus Svetlana Kusnetsova.  I have that third set still in my DVR!  That's a keeper when it comes to an illustration of the female heart.

And Maria Sharapova—to come back to form after the career-ending shoulder injury.  To completely retool her game and come back to her competitive best is a truly inspiring story.

So here's to Maria and Francesca!  Though not No. 1, these women are winners who draw on reserves of strength and determination in a manner that shows us something noble about the human condition!