NOTE: This is my own version of draw analysis on 2010 Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open. In this self-version of draw analysis, I will pick who I think will be 2010 Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open Champion.
One of the Premier hardcourt events leading to US Open is underway. With the absence of the Williams sisters, it will be anybody's race for the title as well as to rack up points for the 2010 Olympus US Open Series Bonus Challenge.
Though, the Williams sisters not entered in this event, four Grand Slam champions are still in the field - world No.7 Kim Clijsters seeded No.4, No.8 Francesca Schiavone seeded No.5, No.13 Maria Sharapova seeded No.10, unseeded Svetlana Kuznetsova and unseeded Ana Ivanovic to complete the wide open draw.
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| Jelena Jankovic 2009 Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open Champion |
The Quarters - Part 1
World No.2 Jelena Jankovic, the top seed and defending champion, has given a first round bye and awaits the winner of the match between qualifiers Vera Dushevina and Anastasia Rodionova to begin her title defense in the second round. She could possibly face No.14 Aravane Rezai in the third round, but if Rezai was able to overcome the tough challenge in her opening match against Serbian qualifier Bojana Jovanovski and most probably Japanese veteran Kimiko Date Krumm, who upset Dinara Safina in the opening round at Standford.
With Jankovic leads Rezai 2-1 in their head-to-head record, the top seed has not been producing the best results recently due to her injury. Can Rezai stop Jankovic to defend her title?
2010 French Open champion Schiavone opens her campaign against the winner of the match between Istanbul Cup finalist Elena Vesnina and Melanie Oudin in the second after receiving a first round bye. The No.5 seed could possibly meet the 2010 Bank of the West Classic champion Victoria Azarenka in the third round.
Azarenka, who defeated Sharapova on her way to her fourth career title, is in red-hot form and opens her match against former world No.1 Ivanovic. Ivanovic, who is trying to recover her continuous slump, is facing the toughest challenge. Should she come up with an upset, it will give her enough confidence to do some damage in the rest of the draw.
In second round, the No.9 seed will possible meet French Open quarterfinalist Yaroslava Shvedova. But it seems like there's no one can stop Azarenka right now and will possibly book a date with the No.1 seed Jankovic in the quarterfinals, the repeat of their 2009 round of 16 clash. With Jankovic leads Azarenka 3-2 in their career meeting, it will be a chance for Azarenka to even the record with a win and avenge her loss in this event last year. Can Azarenka win another hardcourt title?
Semifinalist: Azarenka
Match to watch: There's nothing more interesting than a first round match between Azarenka and Ivanovic, with one is in red-hot form and the other is trying to make her way to the top, surely a real-treat match will be witnessed.
Match to watch: There's nothing more interesting than a first round match between Azarenka and Ivanovic, with one is in red-hot form and the other is trying to make her way to the top, surely a real-treat match will be witnessed.
The Quarters - Part 2
The No.4 seed Clijsters has a first round bye and awaits the winner of the match between former world No.1 Safina and unseeded Italian Roberta Vinci. The slumping Safina is trying to recapture the form that brought her to the pinnacle of tennis and in this hardcourt event will be a good start. A possible encounter with Clijsters will be a good test to build enough confidence for the succeeding tournament leading to the last Grand Slam of the year.
The No.15 seed and 2008 Cincinnati Open champion Nadia Petrova is looking to have an easy passage going into third round, where she will be going to face the winner between the possible match-ups of former world No.1s. But the American wildcard Christina McHale will try to block that passage.
The bottom half of this section will be having a tight encounter as the match progresses. With No.11 seed Flavia Pennetta opens her match against Chinese Jie Zheng and a meeting with either unseeded German Sabine Lisicki or Romanian qualifier Monica Niculescu. Likewise, No.6 seed Vera Zvonareva awaits the winner of the match between fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko and Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine.
This section of the draw will most likely come down to the match-up between Clijsters and Zvonareva, the rematch of the 2010 Wimbledon quarterfinal. Zvonareva scored her first ever win against Clijsters at Wimbledon and she is 1-5 in their career meeting, it will be interesting to see who will advanced. Can Zvonareva fight on-court breakdown all the way to the title? Or will Clijsters avenge her loss at Wimbledon to capture another crown?
Semifinalist: Clijsters
Player to watch: Lisicki has been hampered with injuries and hasn't been the same since winning at Charleston in 2009. Will this event be a good start for the unseeded German?
Player to watch: Lisicki has been hampered with injuries and hasn't been the same since winning at Charleston in 2009. Will this event be a good start for the unseeded German?
The Quarters - Part 3
No.3 seed Elena Dementieva and No.8 seed Li Na will be facing dangerous dark horses going into the final of this event. With Dementieva opens her campaign against the winner of match between Istanbul Cup champion Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Slovak Daniela Hantuchova and will be possibly face No.13 seed Shahar Peer for a place in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, Li could possibly meet Sara Errani in the second round and No.12 seed Yanina Wickmayer in the third round. But Wickmayer's path to meet Li for a spot in the quarters will possibly spoiled by Argentine Gisela Dulko or Czech Lucie Safarova.
Coming back from injury since missing Wimbledon, Dementieva is a serious contender in this event. Should she gets past No.8 seed Li, Dementieva has a good chance to capture another hardcourt title.
Semifinalist: Dementieva
Player to watch: Pavlyuchenkova is in red-hot form and looks like to go all the way for another title in this event. The teen Russian is making name of her own and her Grand Slam breakthrough is surely ahead of her.
Player to watch: Pavlyuchenkova is in red-hot form and looks like to go all the way for another title in this event. The teen Russian is making name of her own and her Grand Slam breakthrough is surely ahead of her.
The Quarters - Part 4
This part of the draw will be the toughest section to be in. With Kuznetsova, who is fresh from winning 2010 Mercury Insurance Open defeating Agnieszka Radwanska in the final who happens to be part of this section of the draw, ends her slump and title drought with a bang is back in the winning circle again. Can she sustain that winning form if she opens her match against fellow Russian and No.10 seed Sharapova?
That will be a toughest task Kuznetsova has to do. With American wildcard Coco Vandeweghe and unseeded German Andrea Petkovic trying to block her progress, Radwanska will also try to get revenge of her loss to two-time Grand Slam champion. Can Kuznetsova do it? Yes she can, but with Sharapova to face in the first round, it is most likely be halted as of the moment. Not too fast Sveta...
Also, back in the winning circle is No.2 seed Caroline Wozniacki, who fought hard in front of her hometown crowd to capture her eighth career title at the inaugural of e-Boks Sony Ericsson Open. The Dane who produced mediocre performance since she injured her ankle at Charleston is building up her Grand Slam contender status and this hardcourt event will be a start.
Awarded with a first round by, Wozniacki's campaign will begin against the winner of Sorana Cirstea-Sybille Bammer match. With No.16 seed Marion Bartoli and Alona Bondarenko most probably will battle out in the second round, whoever gets advanced Wozniacki will surely be in serious trouble. Can she escape the challenge of the two big hitters? Will there be a chance for Wozniacki to meet her good friend Radwanska for a spot in the semifinals?
Semifinalist: Sharapova
Match to watch: Sharapova-Kuznetsova
Match to watch: Sharapova-Kuznetsova
The Semifinals
Azarenka vs. Clijsters: Experience matters. This will probably the main thing that Clijsters will be used against Azarenka. Though Azarenka withdrewn in the next tournament after winning her fourth career title at Stanford, it will be hard for her to run a lot with Clijsters giving lots of balls back. The challenge is on for Azarenka, can she emerge victorious again? Clijsters in straight sets.
Dementieva vs. Sharapova: This will be a blockbuster match as two best players will surely give us a treat. This will be their 10th meeting on hardcourts and their 13th meeting overall with Sharapova leading both records 6-3 and 9-3, respectively. Sharapova, who won their recent match at Stanford quarterfinals, is poised to win again against fellow Russian. But Dementieva, who is producing good results since coming back from injury, performs good tennis beyond her expectations can raised her level of play. With both have an erratic serve, who will produced more error that will surely cost her the match as well as the Cincinnati title? Sharapova in tight three sets.
Finalists: Clijsters, Sharapova
The Finals
It is indeed a rare meeting of two former world No.1s and Grand Slam champions, but this is not a US Open final yet, though it is most likely a preview of what will happen at Flushing Meadows. Clijsters leads Sharapova 4-3 in their close head-to-head encounter and this will be their eighth meeting all on hardcourt. With Sharapova winning their last three encounters, can Clijsters eventually snap that winning trend currently held by the Russian since 2007? Sharapova in tight three sets.
Champion: Maria Sharapova
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