French Open Champ Li Na and the Top 10 Candidates to Win at Wimbledon
With just two weeks between the recently concluded French Open and Wimbledon Championships, there's not much time for the ladies to prepare for the change in colour of both court surface and apparel. So who are the top 10 dames who have got a shot at SW19?
If the women's segment at the recently concluded French Open has proved anything—other than the fact that the seedings are as vestigial as an ostrich's wings—it is that experience is the name of the game.
Twenty-nine-year-old Li Na not only became the first Chinese woman to bag a Grand Slam, but also the fifth-oldest first-time Grand Slam champion. In fact, the combined age of the two finalists on Saturday was 59 years!
A Grand Slam in women's tennis is no place for cute, dove-eyed 20-year-olds. In the last three years, only one player under the age of 26 years—Svetlana Kuznetsova—has won a Grand Slam (2009 French Open).
It's a place for the big boys...err...girls.
So here are my top 10 candidates to pick up the pot on July 2...
10. Caroline Wozniacki
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Caroline, don't get me wrong! You're cute and everything, and I'd do anything (and I mean ANYTHING!) to take you out on a date, but you've got to do your thing on the big stage!
Caroline Wozniacki—World No. 1 and top seed at the French Open—was knocked out in the third round by Daniela Hantuchova—a player ranked 32 notches below her. But she has retained her top ranking and is most likely to be the top seed again at Wimbledon.
Wozniacki has never won a Grand Slam. Her best performance at a major was when she lost in the final of the 2009 U.S. Open. At SW19, she has never gotten past the fourth round.
Then how is she World No. 1?
It's because she plays almost every other tournament outside the big four and wins most of them. She's already won four titles this year—Dubai, Indian Wells, Charleston and Brussels. She is also the favourite and top seed at the Sony Ericsson Open in Copenhagen, starting today.
Wozniacki has been constantly criticized for her below-par showings at the majors, and it'll be interesting to see how she responds at Wimbledon.
9. Svetlana Kuznetsova
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Svetlana Kuznetsova, aged 25, is the current World No. 12 and two-time Grand Slam winner (2004 U.S. Open and 2009 French Open).
She has reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon on three previous occasions but failed to get past that. Last year, she fell in the second round itself to Anastasia Rodionova.
Kuznetsova has had a pretty mediocre 2011, where her best performance was as a finalist at the Dubai Open. In the French Open, she fell to Marion Bartoli in the quarterfinals.
The reason she makes this list is because of her experience in the majors.
8. Petra Kvitova
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Petra Kvitova is the current World No. 8 and semifinalist at last year's Wimbledon, where she lost to eventual champion Serena Williams.
That was her best performance on grass, and she's yet to win a title on the surface.
Kvitova has had a decent 2011 season so far. She has won three WTA titles—Brisbane, Paris and Madrid. She was knocked out in the quarterfinal of the Australian Open by No. 2 seed Vera Zvonareva and in the fourth round of the French Open by Na Li in three sets.
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7. Marion Bartoli
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Marion Bartoli, a 26-year-old Frenchwoman, was enjoying a dream run at her home Grand Slam until she was disposed off by Francesca Schiavone in the semifinals.
Seeded 11th, Bartoli delighted the French crowd by defeating 2009 winner Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals on her way to becoming the first Frenchwoman in six years to reach the semis.
Her performance even led Mary Pierce—the last Frenchwoman to win at Roland Garros—to say that Bartoli reminded her of Monica Seles.
Bartoli was a finalist at the 2007 Wimbledon Championships, where she lost to Venus Williams. En route to that final, she stunned the then-World-No. 1, Justine Henin, in the semifinal.
Bartoli is known for beating the big guns, having defeated former World No. 1 players such as Venus Williams, Ana Ivanovic, Lindsay Davenport, Dinara Safina and Kim Clijsters in the past.
Who will Bartoli upset this time?
6. Maria Sharapova
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Maria Sharapova has risen to World No. 6 after her strong showing at the French Open, where she lost to eventual champion Li Na in the semifinals—4-6, 5-7.
Sharapova will be looking forward to the grass and hard-court seasons because her power-packed game is best suited to these surfaces. Her thumping groundstrokes backed by her strong forehand are more influential on grass and would be a cause of concern for her rivals.
Sharapova's first ever Grand Slam win came as a 17-year-old at the 2004 Wimbledon Championships, where she beat the top seed and defending champion Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4, thereby recording one of the most stunning upsets in the tournament's history.
Sharapova has, however, pulled out of the traditional warm-up tournament to Wimbledon—the Aegon Classic—due to illness.
5. Vera Zvonareva
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Vera Zvonareva is the current World No. 2 and was a finalist at last year's Wimbledon Championships, where she lost to Serena Williams in straight sets.
She is a good baseline player and is known for her movement on the court. She produces powerful groundstrokes and can prove to be quite a tough nut to crack on grass.
Zvonareva has had a decent run this year—reaching the semifinal of the Australian Open, where she lost to eventual champion Kim Clijsters. She also reached the semifinals at Miami and Brussels.
Zvonareva's only title win this year came at Doha, where she beat Caroline Wozniacki in the final.
Zvonareva was going strong in the 2011 French Open until the fourth round, where she came face-to-face with No. 15 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. The pair engaged in a see-saw battle, with Pavlyuchenkova prevailing 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2.
4. Francesca Schiavone
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The 30-year-old Italian isn't the best of grass-court players, but you can never rule out the current World No. 7 after her strong performances in the last year.
Barring her quarterfinal appearance in 2009, Schiavone has never made it past the second round at Wimbledon.
But the French Open champion in 2010 and runner-up in 2011 will be keen to prove that she's not just a clay-court player and is expected to come out all-guns-blazing at SW19.
3. Kim Clijsters
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The former World No. 1 has already hinted that 2011 could be her last year on the tour, with the 2012 London Olympics being the perfect second farewell.
But a shock second round exit in the French Open at the hands of World No. 118 Arantxa Rus could just prove to be the catalyst that would force her to prolong her career to another season, as she is yet to lay her hands on the French Open and Wimbledon trophies.
Clijsters made the semifinals of Wimbledon on two previous occasions (2003 and 2006) but has just not been able to crack the grass court. Last year, she fell to Vera Zvonareva in the quarterfinals 6-3, 4-6, 2-6.
The 2011 French Open was her first tournament after two months out due to ankle injury, and Clijsters wasn't looking very comfortable on court with her movement being restricted.
But Clijsters is a champion with a never-say-die attitude and will be keen to get that elusive Wimbledon trophy next month.
2. Venus Williams
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The only reason five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams didn't take the top spot on my list is because she's been out of action since retiring from her third round match at this year's Australian Open due to hip injury.
Venus is one of the most powerful baseline players on the tour, and her game is very well suited to grass—which reflects in her five previous wins. She has also reached the final at SW19 eight times in the last 10 years.
In my opinion, Venus' fitness is the only hindrance that could stand in the way of a sixth title, and she's definitely making sure that she's fit—having enrolled in the pre-tournament Aegon Classic for the first time in her career.
P.S.: The only reason sister Serena, who is the defending champion, didn't make this list is because of her pulmonary embolism, which has reduced her chances of taking part in this year's Championships to minimal.
1. Li Na
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Li Na takes the top spot after her inspiring maiden Grand Slam triumph at the 2011 French Open.
Li Na lost to Serena Williams in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon last year, which equaled her best performance at the Championships, and might not be the bookies' favourite to take the crown this year.
But you have to remember that she's a fighter and a deserving champion after showing a lot of guts in taking down four top-10 seeds—Petra Kvitova, Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova and Francesca Schiavone—on her way to the title.
Li Na has now reached both the Grand Slam finals this year and has a game that is ideally suited to grass—with powerful groundstrokes and good baseline play.
She has elevated to World No. 4 after her recent triumph and will be eager to prove herself on grass. With Serena Williams most likely to miss the Championships and Venus Williams' long absence from the game, Li Na will be a major threat at SW19.
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