French Open 2012 – Preview – Tennis Special (Part Two)
Turning to the women’s side now, there are some old names in the title’s favourite list. Serena Williams of USA, Russia’s Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and China’s Li Na are the front runners in the title race.
With her current form, 100 percent fit Serena is the most favourite player to win the women’s singles event. The 13-time Grand Slam winner mercilessly thrashed all her opponents to win the Mutua Madrid Open and was doing the same
at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia but she had to withdraw due to back injury. The American had said after her withdrawal that it was a precautionary measure and she would be fit for the Roland Garros.
One of the greatest players of tennis, Chris Evert, has also backed Serena to win the French Open title. Evert thinks that the American is in the best form of her life and she has never seen Serena play so well on clay court.
The legend said, “I just have never seen Serena play this well on clay before. Her fitness level is higher than we have seen it. She’s moving better, and she wants the French Open really badly. It is the one surface that eludes
her at times, the clay. She’s brilliant on the hard court and the grass, but has not had as much success on the clay.”
Second ranked, Sharapova, is bidding to complete her career Grand Slam. She has won each of the other three Majors once but this one has eluded her so far. The Russian joined Serena as the red hot favourite by winning the Internazionali
BNL d’Italia.
Sharapova had always struggled on the slower surface, as her style of play is aggressive which does not go very well with the clay courts. However, this is the year when the Russian has her best chances to win French Open.
The 25-year-old, who turned pro 11 years back, is now one of the most senior players on the WTA tour. Sharapova said, "I've been a part of a few different generations. I was the young one coming up and playing against the Williams
sisters and the Belgian girls. Now I'm 25-years-old, and you see a newer generation coming up that is doing extremely well.”
Although, Azarenka failed to win any of the clay court event on her way to the French Open but the current world number one cannot be written off from the title race. The Belarusian, who started the year with 26 consecutive wins,
can pose serious threat to Serena and Sharapova. She could not win any clay title but at least reached the final in Madrid.
Li, who created history, last year, by becoming the first Asian to win a Grand Slam when she won the 2011 French Open, entered the list of favourites by her impressive show at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. The Chinese super
star was just one point away from claiming the title but luck did not favour her and she ended as the runner-up.
Other noticeable players are Caroline Wozniacki, Petra Kvitova and Agnieszka Radwanska.
We will get to know the winners in a fortnight’s time but before that let us enjoy the treat of watching our favourite players fight on the red clay.
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