Roland Garros: Early Thoughts

[sk310]

The break for me between the Australian Open and the French Open is always the most agonizing wait of the year. It feels like SUCH a long time.

So... What are your thoughts? Hopes? Predictions?

Here are some of mine.

1. I'd really love to see Serena win again. I think a lot of us believe her mind is more focused on Wimbledon and the US Open as they are her stronger surfaces and she's got a better chance to win there. Still, it's Serena. I wouldn't ever vote against her.

2. Can Maria finally break her repeat curse? She's never defended a slam, she's never won at least 1 slam in consecutive years. Her performance in Rome suggests she's peaking at the right time. Still I don't predict her to win .

3. Will Halep finally fulfill her potential? This is my big hope. As she moves on from her breakout year and a half I really want to see her win a slam and get over that hump. The further along she goes without winning one I think the mental barrier gets bigger and bigger.

4. Do we expect to see Carla Suarez Navarro continue her banner year? I definitely expect to see her at least in the QFs.

5. Where will Vika land? I think the hope for all of us is she lands at QF distance from Serena or Maria. It's just more fun to see her play these two in a later round match. I think she's proving herself more and more. She's had some great results in the last few weeks and clay is her least favorite surface.

6. Can Kvitova put it together the way she did in Madrid? I'm going to guess no. I don't think we've seen the last of her slam titles...but with Kvitova it's like a product warning: Past results are not indicative of future success.

7. Will any of last year's top players right their ship in Paris? Ivanovic, Jankovic, Bouchard, Woz (to a lesser extent)? I would say Woz has the best chance of at least making the QFs.

8. Will any of the young guns break through here? Bencic? Keys? Svitolina? Mugu?

I'm curious what everyone thinks!

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Me thinks

1. Serena or Halep will win
2. Caroline and Carla will go deep
3. Kerber, Dominatrix and Kvitova will go far less than generally expected.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Oh Shoot, Dominatrix sneaked into #2 and will be guaranteed not to meet Serena (unless of course ...........)

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

I am sure Maria will play much easier knowing she won't have to face Serena until a final, but I am not sure where Serena is at with her injury or the nature of it. I think it will all depend on the draw. It will be interesting to see where players like Vika, Venus, Kerber and Suarez Navarro will fall. I think Carla could take anyone but Serena out had it not been a final she was in today. I will be curious to see which Petra shows up. The clay in RG plays much slower, and Petra will have to show far more patience than she has shown capable at times. I think given her clay season, Halep can at least go in at least for herself wih lowered expectations. Maria well it is hard to say defending a slam isn't her forte, but she has to be smiling that she snuck I as the number 2 just in time for her favorite slam.

 

[tossip]

Maria will not defend...I think a player who has never won a slam will win RG15.Maria always says she doesnt care about what Serena is on the totem pole...she wanted that no.2 ranking so bad to avoid Rena.
Vika will not win a slam this year and her team will fall apart next year...
Kvitova not winning RG
I think a player who has never won a slam will win RG..

 

[Hoergren]

Not without humor on Roland Garros - or don't they understand it :laydownlaughing

 

[sk310]

Not without humor on Roland Garros - or don't they understand it :laydownlaughing

LOL Oh the French...

This reminds me of when I studied in Paris at 20 and I told them I don't drink any alcohol and they said:

But you can have some wine, no?

 

[10isfan]

i think Pova's shoulder is bothering her again, but I am still picking her to win FO. She is tough to beat on that surface because she has time to load for each shot.

 

[tossip]

i think Pova's shoulder is bothering her again, but I am still picking her to win FO. She is tough to beat on that surface because she has time to load for each shot.

everything is made easy for pova to win,she never plays in the blazing sun or different courts.She never has to endure a watered down court or poor scheduling.......or play when its very dark..I remember Venus playing against Pennetta wearing a track suit because it was late and cold...she will not play Kerber,Sveta or Pennetta at RG..

 

[Moose]

I think it is going to be a dark horse. I just don't see Serena or Maria winning it this year. I don't have enough faith in Simona to win the big match.

I'm not a huge fan, but I'm keeping an eye out for Kerber. She can win on clay, she has the talent to win a major, I think if she can hold up mentally, she just might be the big surprise of the fortnight.

 

[special700]

i think Pova's shoulder is bothering her again, but I am still picking her to win FO. She is tough to beat on that surface because she has time to load for each shot.

everything is made easy for pova to win,she never plays in the blazing sun or different courts.She never has to endure a watered down court or poor scheduling.......or play when its very dark..I remember Venus playing against Pennetta wearing a track suit because it was late and cold...she will not play Kerber,Sveta or Pennetta at RG..

This post is so, so true.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

i think Pova's shoulder is bothering her again, but I am still picking her to win FO. She is tough to beat on that surface because she has time to load for each shot.

everything is made easy for pova to win,she never plays in the blazing sun or different courts.She never has to endure a watered down court or poor scheduling.......or play when its very dark..I remember Venus playing against Pennetta wearing a track suit because it was late and cold...she will not play Kerber,Sveta or Pennetta at RG..

This post is so, so true.

There may be some preferences shown in scheduling towards Pova. But, I just don't buy any conspiracy theory in the draw. I am also surprised that people believe in such conspiracy theories
despite they outlining the draw process clearly and even showing it live.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

No it isn't. Had Serena not screwed up in 2012, then we could have been looking at a different scenario concerning the FO where she, and not Maria was known as the clay court darling.

 

[10isfan]

I have not followed tennis long enough to know why Serena has won FO twice instead of four or five times as she has at each of the other majors. Perhaps it was bad luck, but for whatever reason she has not been as dominant. Therefore, I doubt she will win it. Who can beat Pova in Paris? Very few have the speed and/or game. Of those, who is mentally tough enough to stand up to her? My dream draw would have Daria, Halep, Kerber, and Carla facing Pova before the final.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Pova just cannot win a Slam (not just RG) in odd numbered years.

 

[special700]

No it isn't. Had Serena not screwed up in 2012, then we could have been looking at a different scenario concerning the FO where she, and not Maria was known as the clay court darling.

I have no idea why she's known as the clay court darling to me that's a big time joke. Saying she's the clay court darling one would think she has 5 FO titles instead of two the same as Serena.

 

[tossip]

Serena loses mainly because she is scared of the french crowd,she becomes tentative and stops moving her feet.She is never relaxed at Roland Garros....hopefully this year she ignores those horrible people and focus on winning..
I am hoping that she gets better scheduling and ignore the psychology they use on her...last year they relegated her to Lenglen and yet she was the defending champion.

 

[Calvy]

No it isn't. Had Serena not screwed up in 2012, then we could have been looking at a different scenario concerning the FO where she, and not Maria was known as the clay court darling.

I have no idea why she's known as the clay court darling to me that's a big time joke. Saying she's the clay court darling one would think she has 5 FO titles instead of two the same as Serena.

Well, it may have something to do with the fact over the last four years Maria has won 11 clay events, same amount Serena has won in last 13 years, made the French Open finals, winning twice, the last three years, and made no less than the semifinals over the last four years.

So, yes, I can understand why she is referred as the "clay court darling" at this moment.

Being a Serena fan doesn't mean WE can't give Maria her due when it's appropriate.

 

[MashaFan]

everything is made easy for pova to win,she never plays in the blazing sun or different courts.She never has to endure a watered down court or poor scheduling.......or play when its very dark..I remember Venus playing against Pennetta wearing a track suit because it was late and cold...she will not play Kerber,Sveta or Pennetta at RG..

Don't you know that all the tournament organizers hate the Williams sisters and just love Maria Sharapova? - They will do anything to increase Maria Sharapova's chances like making it difficult for especially Serena - That must definitely be the reason why Serena has lost in some early stages @ the FO :devil - All the WTA officials - journalists and player representatives also just sit there quietly and let those who perform the public draw manipulate it so Maria only has to play bottom 50 players

All Maria herself has to do is to appear - swing her racket a little and shriek her head off and with the help of the umpires and line judges the title is more or less hers - The umpires will never take a point from Maria in spite of her shrieks which so obviously (so the experts of the rules say) should be deemed as hindrance nor will they ever let her lose points because of her constant time violations not to speak about how they always ignore other kind of cheating which Maria is so well known for - It's therefor so nice to see that so many tennis supporters are having consideration for what the other players - i.e Maria's opponents - have to endure from Maria's shrieks and cheating and stand up for them since they're to timid to speak for themselves :speechless:

The international tennis world is such a cruel and unjust place (especially for African Americans - these officials are all frickin' racists!) which for some or another reason refuse to recognize the 2 tennis Goddesses of the century and worship them as they deserve but always benefit this white - tall and blond Russian tennis player called Maria Sharapova (who's not even Russian - sheesh!) for some weird reason :deadhorse

 

[britbox]

^ You got to admit, some of the conspiracy theories are quite amusing. Rumour has it Grigor Dimitrov will be presiding over this years draw.