French Open Women's Preview: Ill Henin vs. Williams Sisters

Posted on May 24, 2004

Former No. 1 Kim Clijsters is out of action with the wrist injury, Belgin countrywoman and current world No. 1 Justine Henin-Hardenne says she is "80 percent recovered" from her viral injury, Serena Williams is still dicey with the over-used surgically-repaired knee, and sister Venus is coming off a severely-injured ankle injury. Let the games begin!

Here is a quick yet insightful look at the four quarters of this year's Roland Garros draw:

Top Quarter
Seeds: (1)Justine Henin-Hardenne, (8)Nadia Petrova, (10)Vera "Warren" Zvon-areva, (14)Paola Suarez, (18)Maria "Grunt-o-rama" Sharapova, (24)Jelena Dokic, (27)Eleni Daniilidou, (31)Emilie Loit
Floaters: Sandrine "Test Tube" Testud, Jie Zheng, Vera Douchevina, Milagros Sequera, Magui "Don't Call Me Maggie" Serna, Amy "Joltin' Joe" Frazier

World No. 1 Henin-Hardenne's tester will come right away against the French wildcard Test Tube, who has beaten her in two of their five meetings. Not a lot of interest in the top section, besides American train wreck Ashley "Anna 2.0" Harkleroad, and semi-tough first round match-ups in (14)Suarez vs. the Venezuelan Sequera, (18)Sharpaova vs. Barbara "Use the" Schwartz in a first-time meeting, and (27)Daniilidou vs. Germany's Marlene Weingartner who has been on a roll of late. Potential fourth round match-ups of interest (aka talent vs. psychos) are (1)H-H vs. (24)Dokic, and an all-Russian (18)Sharapova vs. (8)Petrova.

Second Quarter
Seeds: (3)Amelie Mauresmo, (5)Lindsay Davenport, (9)Elena Dementieva, (15)Silvia Farina Elia, (19)Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi, (21)Maggie Maleeva, (28)Lisa Raymond, (32)Dinara "Little Sis" Safina
Floaters (with funny names): Lubomira Kurhajcova, Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues, Klara "Kouky" Koukalova, Tatiana Golovin

Quite the tough section, but a career stopping point for either player if (3)Mauresmo and (5)Davenport don't meet in the quarterfinals. Tough first-rounders for (28)Raymond against Slovak tongue-twister Lubomira Kurhajcova (the aggressive American won in their lone meeting in three sets, but that was on fast courts), (21)Maleeva vs. Germany's Anca Barna (they've split two meetings), and (15)Farina Elia vs. riser Jelena Jankovic. Israel's (19)Smashnova-Pistolesi is one of the darkhorses in this section, but has a tough draw with Italy's Flavia "Of the Day" Pennetta in the opener, then French prodigy Tatiana Golvin in the second round. Also watch for (32)Safina, who could finally break through after teasing fans as a potential top player, earning a match-up with (5)Davenport in the third round.

Third Section
Seeds: (4)Venus Williams, (6)Anastasia Myskina, (11)Svetlana Kuznetsova, (13)Chanda Rubin, (22)Karolina Sprem, (23)Fabiola Zuluaga, (29)Petra Mandula, (30)Mary Pierce
Floaters: Alicia Molik, Elena Likhovtseva, Claudine Schaul

The "Venus Section" should present few problems for the American before a quarterfinal meeting with (6)Myskina. The oft-injured (or fat) former champ (30)Pierce awaits in the third round for the American, with even less resistance after that. (6)Myskina has a potential tester with the Aussie Molik in her opener, then an uphill battle with (29)Mandula, who has beaten the Russian in both their meetings on the dirt.

Bottom Section
Seeds: (2)Serena Williams, (7)Jennifer Capriati, (12)Ai Sugiyama, (16)Patty Schnyder, (17)Francesca Schiavone, (20)Conchita Martinez, (25)Elena Bovina, (26)Nathalie Dechy
Floaters: Marion Bartoli, Aniko Kapros, Daniela "The Walking Stick" Hantuchova, Martina Navratilova

The "Serena Section" should see the requisite (2)Serena vs. (7)Capriati quarterfinal, which would be a feature considering Capriati won their last meeting. Attempting to get in the way will be either former runner-up (20)Martinez or the flaky (16)Schnyder in Serena's fourth round, or (25)Bovina in Jen-Jen's third round, or (12)Sugiyama/(17)Schiavone in the fourth round. The 67-year-old Navratilova faces Argentine teen Gisela "Sgt." Dulko in the freak-o-the-day feature.

Former champions in this year's Roland Garros draw are Henin-Hardenne (2003), Serena (2002), Capriati (2001), and Pierce (2000).

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