From The Daniel Island News

Tennis / Golf
It's Anyone's Tournament to Win
By Suzanne Detar
Apr 10, 2008 - 3:02:38 PM

Henin won in 2005.
After Justine Henin totally dominated the 2007 tennis season, the 2008 tour is off to a very even-handed start. To date, 12 different players have won championships in the 17 tournaments played. Henin, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Lindsay Davenport and the little known Flavia Pennetta (ITP Tour) are the only players to have won two events this year. Perhaps the most impressive-looking player this season is Serena Williams, who seems to be in her best physical condition since 1982. 1982? Yes, Serena was only 1 at the time she jokingly said at the Sony Ericson Open last week, noting that this is the best shape she has been in since she was a toddler, which she credits as the result of increased conditioning.

Here’s a look at the top five contenders entered in this year’s FCC with a prediction as to who will take home the 35th Anniversary Family Circle Cup.

 

Justine Henin – World No. 1

The world No. 1 has struggled this season with her service game. The tiny Belgian dominator may finally be feeling the impact of her diminutive size. Compared to the other top players, Henin, standing at only 5’5" is more than six inches shorter than some of the other top competitors. In losing to Serena Williams in the quarterfinals last week in Miami at the Sony Ericsson Open, the usually aggressive and confident Henin said she lacked courage in her loss to Williams.

But don’t count her out. Even with a struggling service game, Henin won two tournaments earlier this year.

Can she win the Cup? Yes. If Henin can cut the number of double faults she had in Miami and find that unbeatable attitude that sustained her 33-match winning streak last season through this year’s Australian Open, she can defeat the field and head back to the European clay courts with her third Family Circle Cup Championship and strong confidence to take into her favorite venue, the French Open.

 

Jankovic is defending her title.
Jelena Jankovic – World No. 3

Jankovic returns to Daniel Island to defend the title she earned last year by defeating Dinara Safina in a windy match.

Like Henin, Jankovic is usually a tough competitor with a great return of service. Unlike Henin, Jankovic has never been a top server, making her struggle through matches. Her extreme speed and ability to cover the entire court is her strength, which helped her come back, but not defeat Serena, in the finals last week at the Sony Ericson Open.

Can she win the Cup? It really depends if she can shrug off the respiratory illness she battled in Miami. In the final against Williams, she needed a trainer break, complaining of heavy congestion and pain in her head. Ranked No. 3 in the world, Jankovic plays a much heavier schedule than the other top players, which could also slow her down here.

 

 

 

Sharapova last played here in 2003.
Maria Sharapova – World No. 5

Always a threat to win, this crowd favorite seems to have returned to form after a shoulder injury slowed her for much of 2007. Sharapova has two impressive titles already this year at the Australian Open and the Qatar Open, a Grand Slam and a Tier I event. A big server with good court sense, look for Sharapova to use this tournament to jumpstart her clay court season after having to withdraw from the Sony Ericsson Open due to a right shoulder injury.

Can she win? Not likely, even if she is totally healthy; clay is Sharapova’s weakest surface. But, 6’2" Russian is a dominating presence on the court and is looking to improve on clay.

 

 

 

 

V. Williams won in 2004.
Venus Williams – World No. 6

Venus hasn’t won a tournament this year, losing in the quarterfinals last week to Svetlana Kuznetsova in Miami. Yet the 6’ 1" Williams is always a threat, playing consistently enough to remain in the top 10. Her best finish this season was a semi-final loss to little sister Serena in Bangalore in early March.

Can she win? Venus isn’t playing her best tennis, making it unlikely that she can take the Cup by defeating top players like Henin, Sharapova and Serena. 

 

 

 

 

 

S. Williams apologizes for withdrawing fro her opening match last year.
Serena Williams – World No. 9

Last year at the FCC, Serena Williams disappointed a large Tuesday night crowd, appearing without her usual jewelry or hair style and withdrawing from her first round match, citing a groin injury. Like this year, she entered the tournament having skipped Amelia Island after winning the Sony Ericsson Open. Let’s hope Serena stays healthy and continues the impressive form and stamina she displayed last week in Miami. As Jankovic said after her defeat, Williams is the strongest player on the tour. Williams herself said she is totally focused on tennis and it shows.

Can Serena win? She is playing like the favorite. She totally dismantled Henin in Miami, making her a tough player to beat.

 

The others

Although Venus and Serena are not ranked in the top five, they continue to be a threat in every tournament they enter.

The reason for such low rankings, they haven’t played enough tournaments to garner points in the system. Only Sharapova has played fewer tournaments than Venus Williams, and the ninth-ranked Serena has played the least. (See attached chart). For example, Jankovic has played 26 events to Sharapova’s 13 and Serena Williams’ 12. Both Henin and Venus Williams have played 15 tournaments.

The other top 10 players entered in the tournament, in addition to Henin, Sharapova, Jankovic and the Williams sisters, are: World No. 7 Anna Chakvetadze and World No. 8 Elena Dementieva. Two crowd favorites and top 10 players not making the trip to Daniel Island this year are World No. 2 Ana Ivanovic and World No. 4 Svetlana Kuznetsova. Also, World No. 8 Elena Dementieva and World No. 10 Daniela Hantuchova will not play.

 

The final prediction

Serena Williams will take home the first Family Circle Cup Championship of her career in the 2008 35th Anniversary of the Cup.

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