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The second Grand Slam of the season gets underway today in Paris and will run through June 5th. With the absence of the ailing Williams sisters, who always make news with their eye-catching Grand Slam outfits along with their spectacular athleticism, the women's side is starving for headlines. There are no American women seeded in the top ten and trying to pick a winner in the for this year’s French Open is like trying to get a ticket for the final — nearly impossible.
Last year’s French Open was filled with shocks and upsets and this year’s competition could be equally surprising. No one predicted that two first-time finalists - Francesca Schiavone and Samantha Stosur – would battle for the 2010 women’s title at Roland Garros or that Schiavone would ultimately prevail. And this year it's anyone's game as well.
Given the volatility in women’s tennis in recent years, the 2011 French Open has a wide-open women’s draw. In many respects, this adds to the excitement but as the competition heats up, even in a wide open draw, the cream usually rises to the top. While it’s likely a seasoned Grand Slam champion will win the title, there could be another compelling first-time French Open winner this year.
Sunday morning, Sam Stosur opened her bid to return to the final by beating Iveta Benesova 6-2, 6-3. Playing in the first match on Center Court, the eighth-seeded Stosur dropped her serve in the opening game but then reeled off four straight games to take the lead for good. In addition to reaching the final last year, the Australian 2009, Stosur reached the French Open semifinals in 2009. The first day of the women's tournament ended with a stunning upset of Flavia Pennetta by Varvara Lepchenko. In between, all the relevant seeds survived.
Image Credit: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images/ZumaPress
So who else is still in contention? Here are the players you should be watching: Top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki is a 20-year-old Dane who is eager to win her first Grand Slam title and quell the critics who say she isn't the real No. 1 without a major on her resume. Her top spot on the WTA Tour is determined by computer rankings so and while statistically she may be No. 1 she still has something to prove.
Belgium’s Kim Clijsters' is always a serious contender and considered by many to be this years’ front-runner. She is the reigning two-time U.S. Open and 2011 Australian Open champion, ranked No. 2 in the world. The 27-year-old came out of retirement after the birth of her daughter and continues to be one of the most talented and athletic players on tour. But she is coming off a ankle injury sustained during her cousin's wedding party (must have been some party) in April and hasn’t played any tune-up tournaments in preparation for Roland Garros. She has not played in the French Open since 2006 but made it to the final in 2001 and '03.
Maria Sharapova, once the "It Girl" of tennis (and still a top earner thanks to her many sponsors), may be the surprise winner and give the women's game a much-needed boost. Her best French Open result was reaching the 2007 semifinals. Sharapova has never been known as a clay-court specialist, and the French is the only major she hasn't won, but she had an impressive victory in Rome last week, defeating Wozniacki and 2010 French Open finalist Stosur along the way.
An outsider could easily emerge from the pack to take unexpected glory on June 4, just like Italian Schiavone did last year when capturing her first grand slam crown. In addition to Schiavone and Stosur, other players who could make a deep run include Victoria Azarenka, Petra Kvitova, former champion Ana Ivanovic, Marion Bartoli and Andrea Petkovic.
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