Unseeded Martinez Sanchez wins Italian Open

Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows that I wasn't exactly shocked that the unseeded Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez made it to the semifinal of a big tournament. And I wasn't that surprised that she made it to a final, either, though she has been known to collapse at big moments against big players. Any regular reader also knows that I am a major JJ fan, and I really did want her to get her third Rome title.

And I thought she would. But Martinez Sanchez, whose bag of tricks makes me long for days gone by, knew what to do. She lost her nerve a few times, yes, but she found it when it mattered most.

When contemporary tennis experts were handing out today's "rules," Martinez Sanchez wasn't listening: Never use a drop shot on return of serve. Use a drop shot only in an emergency. Work your way into the rallies. "Pardon--did you say something?..."

It can be successfully argued that the Spaniard over-used her favorite shot in the first set, but--on the other hand--even the drops that didn't work kept what had to be a tired opponent running and running. But Martinez Sanchez is about more than drop shots. She can slice, spin, volley from all parts of the court, and make it up as she goes along. She's fast, she can stretch out quickly, and she has that increasingly elusive gift--a good serve.

Jankovic, it should be noted, played well. The 7th seed is one of the very best movers on the tour, and she's harder to push around with aggression than many other players would be. She's also a very smart player, and there were moments in the Rome final when you could literally watch her figure out her opponent. She also knew--as did we all--that nerves would be a major factor in Martinez Sanchez's first big tour final. Jankovic had not only been there before, she'd won the title twice before.

Martinez Sanchez went up 5-2 in the first set, and had a set point at 5-3, but was broken. At 5-all, Jankovic broke, but was broken back, and a tiebreak ensued. Martinez Sanchez won that tiebreak 7-5, closing it with serve-and-volley finesse. Martinez Sanchez immediately broke in the second set, but was broken back to create a 3-all scoreline. Martinez Sanchez then went up 5-3, but was broken again. At 5-all, the Spaniard hit two flat forehand down-the-line winners to go up 6-5, and she won the match with another serve-and-volley play. At 7-6, 7-5, Martinez Sanchez fell backward onto the clay before greeting the crowd and accepting her trophy. In two sets, she hit 44 winners, many of which were either smacked or gently nudged from the net.

There were many entertaining moments in the match, particularly when--toward the end of the second set--the two women engaged in rapid-fire volleying right at the net. Jankovic hit the clay so often that by the end of the match, she looked something like a lime-tinted Arantxa Sanchez Vicario.

Both women had great tournaments. And although Jankovic failed to win a third title in her beloved Rome, she can still say she took out both Williams sisters in one tournament--and consecutively, at that. Jankovic is playing very well on clay right now, and also seems quite strong mentally. The big win for Martinez-Sanchez represents yet another turning point in the late-blooming Spaniard's career, and clay season just gets better and better for fans.

Jankovic to play Martinez Sanchez in Rome final

I have photographed quite a few tennis players, and there is one player who--if I just shoot repeatedly without even paying much attention to what I'm doing--I wind up with a series of pictures of stretches, splits, twists, slides, and bends. That player is the intensely physical Jelena Jankovic, who is a kind of twisty perpetual  motion machine on the court. (I imagine photos of Kim Clijsters would be similar, but I haven't had the good fortune of photographing her.)

Jankovic has now slid her way to her third Rome final, taking out the Williams sisters, one after another, in two very different matches. Today's semifinal match against Serena Williams lasted over 2 hours and 47 minutes, and featured just about everything you could want to see--except for clean play. Both players committed a lot of errors, both fought hard, and the momentum swung with such intensity that it was useless for fans of either player to get comfortable about the outcome.

Williams took the first set 6-4, Jankovic took the second 6-3, and then the real fun began. Serving at 3-5, Jankovic held, then broke Williams when she served for the match at 5-4, saving a match point along the way. But Williams broke her right back. Williams served for the match a second time, and went down 0-40. She saved those three break points. Williams then hit a smash that was intended to be a winner, but Jankovic got to the ball and passed Williams. She then broke Williams to set up a tiebreak.

Williams, suddenly finding the serve that had eluded her for much of the match, went up 3-0 immediately in the tiebreak, then went up 5-2, but Jankovic finally brought it to 5-all. She then broke both of Williams' serves to take the match, and the up-and-down, drawn-out affair was over. Jankovic, who went through some of her usual turmoil throughout the match, was quite mentally tough when it counted the most.

Between them, the two players double-faulted 17 times. There were 39 break opportunities and 13 breaks of serve. Welcome to clay court season!

The other semifinal was fun to watch, but not nearly as dramatic. I always enjoy watching Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, whose so-called "old school" tennis constantly exposes the gaps in today's player development. Spin like mad into the corners, then serve flat? No problem. Stretch out wide and hit a volley from the baseline? No problem. Martinez Sanchez has such deft touch, and so much variety--and she also has one of the tour's best serves. It was all too much for Ana Ivanovic to handle, and the Spaniard won the match 6-4, 6-2.

I can't think of two people I'd rather see play a final on red clay than Martinez Sanchez and Jankovic. Of course, this experience is a new one for Martinez Sanchez, and she is likely to be anxious. Jankovic is hoping to get her third Rome title, and Martinez Sanchez is hoping to get her first big title anywhere. If Martinez Sanchez can hold her nerve, this could be a very entertaining final.

A Fighting Italian, a hard-hitting Frenchwoman, and--in Rome--a very clever Spaniard

The 2010 clay season will always be remembered (as well it should be) for the emergence of Francesca Schiavone as the French Open champion, but--so dramatic was that emergence--it may be easy to forget some of the other drama that occurred.

Aravane Rezai surprised the tennis world by winning Madrid. The very hard-hitting Frenchwoman, known for her metallic-colored dresses, began delivering her surprises in the very first round. The unseeded Rezai upset five-time French Open champion Justine Henin, and that defeat included a 6-0 third set.

A Tennis Channel commentator remarked that Rezai "cruised through the rest of the tournament," but he was obviously watching a different event. Rezai had to fight hard to get to the final. She beat Klara Zakapalova in the second round, but had to play the thriller of the tournament (and probably one of the best matches of the season) in the next round against a very in-form Andrea Petkovic. Petkovic, though she saved six match points, was finally overcome by the Frenchwoman, who defeated her 6-4, 7-6 (8).

Next came Jelena Jankovic, and Rezai had to fight like mad to win that one, too especially in the first set (do you think that, at Tennis Channel, they don't even watch the matches?). She got a break in the semifinals, when Lucie Safarova had to retire after the first set. Then, in the final, Rezai faced Venus Williams. The unseeded Frenchwoman began the match by holding a first serve win percentage of 100; needless to say, she won that set.

Rezai then went down 2-5 in the second set, but she rallied, saved six set points, and suddenly, held three match points. She won the championship on her first one, defeating Williams 6-2, 7-5, and becoming the second unseeded player to win a premier WTA event.

That was a lot of drama, but there was also quite a bit of drama in Rome that year when another unseeded player, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, took that title. Her draw was impressive. After beating Alla Kudryavtseva in the opening round, she then defeated soon-to-be French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, Caroline Wozniacki, Lucie Safarova, and 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic.

Martinez Sanchez's opponent in the final was two-time (2007, 2008) Rome champion Jelena Jankovic, who had knocked out Serena Williams in the semifinals. Jankovic was highly favored to win her third Italian Open title, but the tricky Spaniard with the tricky serve had other ideas.

Making Jankovic run generally doesn't have the effect of making some other players run. The Serbian star, in her day, loved to run. But this was the final, both players had to be a bit tired, and Martinez Sanchez made sure that Jankovic ran plenty--both vertically and horizontally. With her sharp lefty serve and her slices, spins and volleys, the Spaniard had a lot to throw at Jankovic. She also had a cunning drop shot, which--in the end--worked for her even when Jankovic got to it, because going for it only increased the Serbian player's fatigue.

But Martinez Sanchez wasn't just hitting a lot of drop shots--she was using the drop shot as a return of serve. This very clever strategy enraged some fans, who said the Spaniard wasn't playing "real" tennis. Really? I thought the object was to win the match.

It was quite a spectacle, what with Jankovic running all over the court and falling down multiple times until her lime kit was caked in red clay. Toward the end of the second set, the pair engaged in rapid-fire volleying right at the net, which thrilled spectators.

Martinez Sanchez, who hit 44 winners, defeated Jankovic 7-6, 7-5, in a truly stunning championship match. "You were killing me with those drop shots," Jankovic said to her at the trophy ceremony.

What made Martinez Sanchez's victory even more dramatic was that she was known as a talented player whose nerves tended to betray her when she faced top players. But for some reason, that year in Rome, the Spaniard kept her nerves intact and completed what was possibly the most entertaining run of the season.

Jankovic and Martinez Sanchez put on shows in Rome today

Jelena Jankovic hit 22 winners and made only 7 unforced errors today in her steamrolling victory over 11th seed Yanina Wickmayer today in Rome. Jankovic hit 6 aces, and had service win percentage of 75 and 73. Hitting over 30 winners, and demonstrating why some of us love to watch clay court tennis, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez looped and dropped her way to a 6-4, 6-4 victory over 2nd seed Caroline Wozniacki. Martinez Sanchez now has a 3-0 head-to-head lead over Wozniacki.

Lucie Safarova also continued her recent good form, defeating number 8 seed Agnieszka Radwanska 1-6, 6-3, 7-6. Radwanska won only one point in the tiebreak. Ana Ivanovi appears to be back among the winners, too, defeating Elena Dementieva 6-1, 7-6.

Here is the quarterfinal draw:

Serena Williams (1/wc) vs. Maria Kirilenko
Venus Williams vs. Jelena Jankovic
Ana Ivanovic vs. Nadia Petrova (6)
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez vs. Lucie Safarova

Williams and Jankovic have quite a rivalry going. They have met ten times, and have split the wins evenly. All but one match went to three sets. Jankovic leads Williams 3-1 on clay surfaces.

In doubles today, the number 3 seeds, Cara Black and Elena Vesnina, had to retire in their second round match because Vesnina sustained a lower back injury. Other seeded teams advanced today in the second round, with 4th seeds Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs advancing to the quarterfinals.

2010--a year of the unexpected

Every season has its highlights and surprises, and, unfortunately, one of the highlights of the 2010 season was the long list of significant injuries. Not all of them were sustained on the court, either. Kim Clijsters got a nasty infection in her right foot after she had a mole removed, and Serena Williams was in the wrong place at the wrong time when drunk World Cup revelers decided it would be fun to throw bottles inside a German restaurant. After a piece of broken glass cut her foot, Williams had to have two surgical procedures, and she missed the U.S. hard court season and everything after that.

Venus Williams continued to have problems with her knee, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova had a recurring hip injury, and Justine Henin--having already broken her finger during Fed Cup competition--injured her elbow at Wimbledon, and missed the rest of the season. Countrywoman Kim Clijsters injured her left foot in Fed Cup play, and had to withdraw from the French Open. Dinara Safina, who had been assured her back problems were over, once again felt the dreaded back pain, and had to stop playing.

Elena Dementieva was forced to retire during the French Open semifinals because of a calf strain, and she missed Wimbledon. Katarina Srebotnik's shoulder bothered her so much that she retired from singles play. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez was out for an extended period because of a knee injury, which put and end to her outstanding doubles run with Nuria Llagostera Vives. Agnieszka Radwanska is currently walking around on crutches because of surgery she had to treat a stress fracture in her foot, and she is expected to be out until March of next year.

There were the "usual" injuries, too--ankles, feet, back, etc. that affected a number of players. Zheng Jie was out ill for much of the season, and a stomach virus attacked several players. Maria Sharapova continued her struggle to return to pre-shoulder injury form, Sabine Lisicki tried unsuccessfully to return to pre-injury and -illness form, too. Then there was Victoria Azarenka, who sustained a concussion while running sprints right before the second round of the U.S. Open, and passed out on the court.

Now for some better memories: Li Na became the first Chinese woman in history to crack the WTA top 10, and she and Zheng Jie both reached the semifinals of the Australian Open. Cara Black completed her mixed doubles career slam, but she was in the news more because of the not-so-amicable breakup of the team of Black and Huber. The Williams sisters completed their career doubles slam by winning the French Open, and the great former team of Gigi Fernandez and Natasha Zvereva were inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Last year, Alexandra Dulgheru came out of nowhere and, as a qualifier, won Warsaw; in 2010, she accomplished the unlikely feat of defending that title. Ekaterina Makarova qualified for the main draw of Eastbourne, and won the title. Ana Ivanovic won her first title in two years, leading her fans to hope for better times in 2011. Aravane Rezai had the most dramatic run of all: She won Madrid by taking out Justine Henin, Jelena Jankovic and--in the final--Venus Williams. She was also the second consecutive unseeded player to win a premier tournament.

Kaia Kanepi and Petra Kvitova both reached the semifinals of Wimbledon, and provided quite a bit of surprise entertainment to the proceedings. Anastasia Rodionova won two gold medals and a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games. In Osaka, Tammy Tanasugarn and Kimiko Date Krumm played the "oldest" final in tour history--one was 33 and the other was 40. And in one of the more touching moments of the season, 30-year-old Francesca Schiavone, after she defeated Date Krumm in Tokyo, said of the Japanese comeback star: "To come back and show the people anything is possible is really inspiring."

Jelena Jankovic continued her "Princess and the Pea" decline. Jankovic was bothered by everything from a sprained ankle to a respiratory infection to an eye problem (for which she just had surgery). Having worked so hard to improve her serve, Jankovic should have had a much better season than she did.

Sam Stosur looked like a potential Queen of Clay when she ran over Vera Zvonareva in the Charleston final, but the crown eluded her. Stosur had an exceptional season, nonetheless. Venus Williams had a very fine season, too, though it came to a disappointing end when she lost in the U.S. Open semifinals, and then wound up on crutches because of her knee.

Camille Pin retired from professional tennis, as did doubles specialist Janette Husarova. Unfortunately, the news of the accomplished Husarova's retirement fell on deaf ears.

The tour celebrated the 40th anniversary of its founding, unveiled a new logo that looks like something Don Draper would fire people over, and of course, the "sexy" airbrushing went on as usual, so on the player site, the women all still look pretty much the same--just nothing like themselves.

Though 2010 lacked the drama of 2009, there was plenty to keep us all interested and entertained. Here are my personal top 10 occurrences, in ascending order:

10. Martinez Sanchez wins in Rome
Rome is Jelena Jankovic's sacred ground. Rome is where she found the strength to go on when she thought she might leave professional tennis, and Rome is where she has looked her best on the clay courts. This year was no exception: Jankovic became the first player in history to beat both Williams sisters on clay at the same tournament. The former champion was poised to win her third Italian Open title, but Spanish clay court artist and doubles expert Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez got in the way. As fast as Jankovic is, and as good a mover as she is, she could not escape being sliced and cut to exhaustion by the unseeded Spaniard, who also possesses one of the tour's better serves. Martinez Sanchez spun and dopped the ball so much that she confounded inexperienced fans and even some "experts," who insisted on calling her cleverness and aggression "unorthodox." Mostly, she confounded Jankovic, and defeated her 7-6, 7-5 in one of the year's most entertaining finals.

9. Zvonareva reaches two major finals
Now that the great Russian onslaught has faded a bit, there was still one Russian standing tall in 2010, and that was Vera Zvonareva. Zvonareva, who has had more than her share of bad fortune on the tour, was so steady this year, and played so well in unfavorable conditions, that she reached the finals of both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Unfortunately, her performance faded in both matches, but her winning ways earned her an end-of-the-year ranking of number 2 in the world.

8. Wozniacki becomes number 1 in the world
Caroline Wozniacki, the Great Dane, played and played and played in 2010, and she won and won and won. She failed to reach the final of a major, however (she reached two rounds of 16, a quarterfinal, and a semifinal), and she lost the WTA Championships final to Kim Clijsters. Nevertheless, Wozniacki won six titles, and she won the U.S. Open series. She also added a better seve, more power, and more aggression to her game, giving fans more to look forward to in 2011.

7. Italy defends Fed Cup title
The Italian Fed Cup team--Francesca Schiavone, Flavia Pennetta, Sara Errani, and Roberta Vinci--have been in five Fed Cup finals in the past five years, and they have won three of them. Last year, they defeated the USA in the final on clay in Italy, and this year, they did it on a hard court in San Diego. Once again, Flavia Pennetta sealed the deal for the Italians, who achieved a 3-1 victory. Forza!

6. King and Shvedova spring the surprise of the year
Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova had played together only a couple of times when they entered Wimbledon as a doubles team. They had a high old time, smiling a lot on court and inviting strangers in London to watch them play. They won the title, too, and--in doing so--brought about Vera Zvonareva's second big defeat on the last day of the tournament. After Wimbledon, the pair failed to get very far in competition--that is, until the U.S. Open rolled around. And once again, despite having to work really hard and despite all odds being against them, they won the title.

5. Clijsters rules in the final quarter
It was one thing when Kim Clijsters returned to the tour last year and promptly won the U.S. Open. It was quite another when she defended her title this year, and then--for good measure--beat the world number 1 in Doha to win the WTA Championships. Clijsters didn't play a lot this year; she had a lean schedule (which included a win in Miami) to begin with, and then had to deal with two foot injuries. But she was healthy for the U.S. hard court season, and defended her title in Cincinnati. At the U.S. Open, she was just too good, dispensing of Ana Ivanovic, Sam Stosur, Venus Williams, and Vera Zvonareva. Clijsters then topped her season off by defeating world number 1 Caroline Woznacki at the WTA Championships.

4. Dulko and Pennetta ascend to the top of the doubles rankings
Exactly like Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and Nuria Llagostera Vives before them, Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta had played doubles together, on and off, for years, but in 2010, they decided to make a serious go of it. They won eight titles, including the WTA Championships. Dulko, in fact, won nine (one with Elena Gallovits). They are now the top-ranked team in the world, and Dulko is now the number 1 doubles player in the world. The two women have been friends for a long time, and now they are big-time champions together.

3. Serena Williams wins two more majors
The older Serena Williams gets, the more beaten up her body gets, and the better she plays. Go figure. This year, she won the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and she won the latter without dropping a set. That makes 13 major singles titles, and there is every reason to expect that number to increase. Williams' forced leave from the tour the past several months turned everything topsy-turvy, and gave crisp meaning to the term "conspicuous by her absence."

2. Dementieva retires
At the end of the season, Elena Dementieva became the first of the great post-Morozova Russians to leave the tour. And though the Russians (with the exception of Zvonareva) no longer display their former brightness, their ascent brought about a major change in women's tennis. Dementieva had a long career, in which she managed to somehow manifest intelligence, athleticism, wit, class, and gut-wrenching frustration--all at the same time. It was fun to watch her, and easy to cheer for her, even though you knew that--half the time--you would wind up shaking your head and murmuring "Oh, Elena...." She never won a major, though she was a second-week regular and played some memorable matches. She did win a gold medal at the Olympic Games, and she won 16 singles titles, as well as six doubles titles. Hers was a great career, despite its disappointments, and it will probably take us all a long time to adjust to her absence. I already miss her.

1. Schiavone wins the French Open
The good-natured and impressively athletic Francesca Schiavone has long given us her hilarious heartfelt wisdom--often spoken in her delightful broken English--but until this year, fans had to search for her press conferences. Schiavone's career, until a few years ago, involved a lot of consistent play, but also a lot of choking in finals. She lost eight finals in a row before she finally figured out how to win one. After that, she became better on all surfaces, even reaching the quarterfinals of Wimbledon last year. Schiavone and her friend, Flavia Pennetta, have been Fed Cup stars for several years, and--inspired by Fed Cup victories--Schiavone did something smart and creative this spring: She hired Italian Fed Cup captain Corrado Barazzutti to be her coach for the French Open. In other words, she went to Paris to win.

Schiavone's opponent in the final was Samantha Stosur, who had shocked Vera Zvonareva in the Charleston final, and had already taken out Justine Henin, Serena Williams and Jelena Jankovic in Paris. Stosur was expected to win the French Open, and to perhaps even become the new queen of clay. But 17th seed Schiavone, who upset Caroline Wozniacki in the quarterfinals, hadn't received the memo that she was supposed to be the runner-up. We will probably never know what Barazzutti whispered in the Italian's ear, or exactly what transpired within her head, but--briefly stated--Schiavone took it to Stosur. From the first moment of the final, Schiavone was in charge, and nothing much that Stosur did seemed to bother her. It wasn't that Stosur played badly; she was just never given the chance to play really well.

Schiavone served very well, she gave Stosur repeated doses of her own heavy topspin, and she volleyed with grace and accuracy. Perhaps most important, she never appeared to doubt herself. Schiavone's 6-4, 7-6 victory, attained just a month shy of her 30th birthday, made her the first Italian woman to win a major title. It was a victory for Italy, a victory for older players on the tour, and a victory for the power of perseverance. "I couldn't stop it," the French Open champion said of her increasing confidence and energy as the second set tiebreak progressed. "I really felt that that one was my moment. I took it. I didn't lose the chance. I didn't care about nothing. I want to take that point and play my tennis. It was the moment."

Madrid and Rome, and the women who turned them upside down in 2010

Clay court tennis is known for producing unpredictable results, and it's hard to beat the results that occurred in Madrid and Rome in 2010. 

Aravane Rezai, the small woman in the gold lame tennis dresses, surprised a lot of people when--as an unseeded player--she won Madrid by defeating Venus Williams in the final. Rezai began her Madrid campaign by upsetting four-time French Open champion Justine Henin, and adding a bagel for good measure. That was just the first round. The hard-hitting Frenchwoman went on to defeat the likes of Andrea Petkovic and Jelena Jankovic, before defeating Williams in straight sets. But it wasn't an easy task; Rezai was down 2-5 in the second set and had to save six set points.

The same year, Jankovic--who had won Rome twice--once again reached the final, and this time, her opponent was the unseeded Maria José Martinez Sanchez, who defeated Francesca Schiavone, Caroline Wozniacki, Lucie Safarova, and Ana Ivanovic--all in straight sets. The Spaniard had a good, rather tricky, serve, which she used to her advantage against JJ. But what fans will probably remember most vividly was Martinez Sanchez's use of the drop shot as a return of serve.

When Roger Federer introduced SABR, he was a genius. But when Martinez Sanchez used a drop shot as a return of serve, some fans said that she wasn't playing "real tennis." (This kind of thing isn't unusual. Once, when Francesca Schiavone hit a tweener, a commentator said "oh, she's copying Roger." Right. Schiavone was hitting tweeners while Roger was still figuring out his game.) 

She was playing very clever tennis, and she defeated Jankovic 7-6, 7-5.

It's "unorthodox" only if you have no frame of reference

It amazes me how many sportswriters--now that they have been forced to notice Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez--are describing her playing style as "unorthodox" and even "weird." It is neither. "Throwback" I'll accept, and more the pity that there's truth in that. Martinez Sanchez, when she was a very little girl, used to watch Martina Navritalova on television. Therefore, as a child, she used to run to the net right after she served the ball. That's called "aggression," and it is a very useful tactic.

I even saw a fan on the Web express doubt as to whether Martinez Sanchez was playing tennis at all--after all, she's supposed to be engaged in hitting the ball. No, she's supposed to be engaged in winning points. I think there are a lot of people who need to sit down and watch some Navratilova and Evonne Goolagong matches.

And while I'm on the topic, what Martinez Sanchez does is not "junk"--it's spin variety, cleverness, aggression, and great use of the volley. It wins points, and it's a lot of fun to watch. I thought the game was more intersesting when players used wooden racquets, and it's nice to see a player who is willing to use a contemporary racquet for power, but not neglect touch and volley. That would be the Rome champion.

French Open champion: Henin or...?

Because clay neutralizes power, and because so many players struggle on clay, clay tournaments are considered prime breeding grounds for upsets, and--as we have seen so far in this clay season--they certainly are. Sam Stosur was not expected to win Charleston, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez was not expected to win Rome, and Aravane Rezai was not expected to win Madrid. To add to the drama of the victories, both Martinez Sanchez and Rezai were unseeded.

I can't say I was shocked by any of these wins: Stosur is more confident now and has become more comfortable on clay, and-as far as I was concerned--it was only a matter of time before both Martinez Sanchez and Rezai won something significant. Still, to have all three tournaments go to non-favorites is rather unusual.

The other premier clay court tournament, in Stuttgart, was won by Justine Henin.

And that is as good a segue as any for introducing my question: Will Henin win the French Open, or will someone else prevail through seven rounds in Paris? Henin has had some bad luck lately, breaking her finger in Fed Cup play, and developing a throat infection. Assuming she is healthy by the time play begins in Paris, she still seems a pretty good bet to hold the trophy.

Defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova is having a terrible clay season, and cannot be considered a contender. Last year's hottest clay court player (and French Open finalist) Dinara Safina is trying to find her way after sustaining a serious back injury. Kim Clijsters hurt her foot in Fed Cup play and won't even be in Paris. 2008 champion Ana Ivanovic is starting to improve on her poor 2009 and 2010 results, but I can't imagine her making enough of a leap to win a major.

With those four out of the way, we are left with Elena Dementieva, Jelena Jankovic, and Serena and Venus Williams. Prior to the start of clay court season, many people would have narrowed that list down to just Dementieva, Jankovic and Serena. Venus, however, has really come alive during the European season, and--given her both her resurgence and her experience as a major champion--I'm putting her in the mix (and besides--never count out a Williams sister).

Having said that, I do believe that Serena has a bit more of a chance than Venus. Serena won the French Open once, in 2002. She made the semifinals the following year, but hasn't gotten past the quarterfinals since then (in 2005 and 2006, she wasn't there). Last year, she lost an extremely close quarterfinal match to eventual champion Kuznetsova. If Serena Williams were to win at Roland Garros, she would be halfway through a potential Grand Slam, with two (for her) winnable majors remaining. That provides a lot of motivation, as well as a lot of pressure.

Dementieva and Jankovic are contenders, despite the doubts some fans have about them. Each is outstanding on clay, each has improved her serve, and each has big match experience. I know they both seem to find ways not to win majors, but this is new year and a new opportunity, and they are just too good to leave off of the list. It wouldn't surprise me at all if one of them won.

In the background is Sam Stosur. We know, after last year's semifinal run in Paris, and after this year's Charleston tournament, what she can do, but how will she hold up under the pressure? She's a contender, nevertheless.

And then there's Caroline Wozniacki. She had the misfortune of injuring her ankle in Charleston, but I think a bigger problem is that she did not heed the lesson provided by Jankovic: Wozniacki has played in a lot of tournamnents, and she may have reached the burn-out point.

There are other players who can make good runs in Paris, or who could--at least--create some upsets. Aravane Rezai, if she doesn't buckle under the  Mauresmo Curse, could do some real damage. Last year, she made it to the round of 16, during which she was obliterated by Safina. But that was last year. Francesca Schiavone, who resurrected her career after a big "Is retirement near?" slump, is always dangerous on clay (her countrywoman, Flavia Pennetta, generally is, too, but she is having a tough time this season). The stylish Martinez Sanchez certainly poses a threat, and--if she should suddenly get her game back together in the next week--so does Sara Errani. Nadia Petrova is great on clay, and could also make a signfiicant run in Paris.

Both Lucie Safarova and Alexandra Dulgheru have made great strides this season, and both excel on clay. Vera Zvonareva is still trying to find her optimum fitness level after returning to the tour, but she still can cause trouble in early rounds. Shahar Peer is also capable of pulling an upset.

Finally, we come to Justine Henin. Henin has a new, more aggressive game, which seems to have been crafted for Wimbledon competition, but we will see some version of it in Paris. Henin is still Henin, but some of her opponents are no longer as intimidated by her as they used to be, and the decrease in her psychological advantage could make her make her vulnerable. Or not. We'll know more when we see her draw.

Sounds like old times...

Serena, Jelena, Ana, and Maria. That sounds like a semifinal draw from a couple of years ago. It isn't quite the same though. The "Ana" part is a surprise, and the last name on that list refers to clay court artist Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, not the other Maria, who probably wouldn't be on the list even if she were healthy.

Ivanovic has made a resurgence in Rome, and has advanced to the semifinals via her defeat today of 14th seed Nadia Petrova, who just can't seem to put it together anymore, not even on clay, at the deep end of a tournament. Ivanovic served her way to a 6-2, 7-5 victory, and will play Martinez Sanchez in the semifinals. Martinez Sanchez defeated Lucie Safarova 7-6, 6-4. Expect some big serving from both players in their match tomorrow.

Top seed Serena Williams defeated Maria Kirilenko 6-1, 6-4 in the quarterfinals. Kirilenko was down 0-4 in the second set, but fought back to create a contest.

And then there was Venus Williams, whose serve was terribly off today, and--to make it worse--she faced a completely in-form Jelena Jankovic. Jankovic loves Rome. She has won the tournament twice, and her first big career turn-around took place there. Jankovic won 6-0, 6-1 in just under an hour. She will play Serena Williams in the semifinal. Jankovic is 3-4 against Williams in tour matches, and they have never before faced each other on clay.

Deja vu

We have been here before, even many though tennis writers behave as though we haven't. Last year, it was very hard to predict who would win the French Open, unless you were one of the individuals who assumed Justine Henin would win it. I wasn't one of those individuals, and I was quite curious as to who would prevail; I was then delighted that it turned out to be Francesca Schiavone.

This year is no different, except that Henin is no longer in the mix. Many of those who "should" win don't exactly look like major contenders, though any of them could come through:

Francesca Schiavone--the 2010 champion has suffered from fatigue this season, and--as wonderful as her game is--she makes a lot of unforced errors and doesn't look as thought she can win seven rounds.

Svetlana Kuznetsova--She won the French Open in 2009, and she probably "should" have won it a few times, but is just not a contender in any tournament right now.

Jelena Jankovic--She "should" have won the tournament, too, but, sadly, her confidence appears to be fading away.

Sam Stosur: Stosur was last year's runner-up, but she just doesn't look like a potential champion this seaosn.

Ana Ivanovic--Ivanovic was the 2008 champion, and that accomplishment seems as though it happened so, so long ago. Ivanovic simply isn't a factor in this year's French Open.

Victoria Azarenka--Azarenka is ripe to win the French Open, but her health is so fragile that it's questionable that she can survive seven rounds without falling to illness or injury.

We are left with:

Kim Clijsters--Clijsters is a two-time finalist whose chances are very good, provided her ankle doesn't betray her. Clijsters recently injured her wrist, shoulder and ankle, but says that her wrist and shoulder are fine, and her ankle will be wrapped in Paris.

Caroline Wozniacki--The world number 1 won on the green clay in Charleston, and she just won her very first red clay event at the new tournament in Brussels. She has yet to win a major, and though her best chance would appear to involve a hard court, she has to be viewed as a contender.

Maria Sharapova--Sharapova has never been considered a favorite to win in Paris, and after struggling to come back from a serious shoulder injury, she hasn't been considered a favorite to win anything big. But she won in Rome, and suddenly--out of nowhere--she is a contender at the French Open.

The winners of the big clay tournaments last year were Stosur (Charleston),  Henin (Stuttgart), Aravane Rezai (Madrid) and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (Rome). Henin and Stosur were factors at the French Open, with Stosur going on a memorable run before losing to Schiavone. This year's winners, respectively, were Wozniacki, Julia Goerges, Petra Kvitova and Sharapova. Wozniacki also won the first-ever event in Brussels.

Goerges has a tough draw. She will probably meet Lucie Safarova in the second round, and Safarova is as dangerous a clay court floater as they come. If Goerges gets past Safarova, she could upset 11th seed Marion Bartoli, but then she has to deal with Stosur.

Kvitova is one of the most unpredictable players on the tour. Clay should be her worst surface, yet she won in Madrid. She has a tough first round against Greta Arn, then--if she wins that--she should be okay until she gets to the third round and has to deal with 2009 semifinalist Dominika Cibulkova. Should she make it past Cibulkova, it's likely that either Li Na or Elena Vesnina awaits her. And should she continue to win, she will probably have to deal with Azarenka.

At the French Open, Wozniacki is on course to meet Stosur in her quarter. Dangerous floaters Martinez Sanchez, Safarova, and Gisela Dulko are in that quarter, too, as well as the aforementioned Goerges.

The French Open is my favorite major, partly because it's so unpredictable, but mostly because I like to watch clay court experts manage the surface. It doesn't hurt that the event is played in Paris.

Simon(a) says--It's upset time!

Having already run through Daniela Hantuchova, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Agnieszka Radwanska, and Roberta Vinci--today, qualifier Simona Halep advanced to the Rome semifinals by taking out two-time Rome champion Jelena Jankoavic.

Oh, the drama.

Halep played quite well in the first set, and saved two set points, but was outdone, 6-4, by Jankovic. And then she went all crazy on JJ the way she had on Radwanska earlier in the week, winning every game in the second set. That was pretty dramatic in itself; Halep threw every clay court trick known in Romania (and that's quite a few) at Jankovic.

But in the third set, Jankovic went up 3-0, 40-15, and looked like she was on her way to yet another Rome semifinal, but Halep fought back, then fought back some more, breaking her opponent twice. Eventually, the Romanian player would resemble a determined and clever gnat that could not be swatted away, and Jankovic's swat would become less and less effective. Though Halep's serve (the only weakness she displayed in this match) provided multiple opportunities for Jankovic to get the whole thing over with, the Serbian star was tapping forehands over the net instead of hitting winners.

Then, finally, Jankovic served for the match. She held two match points. Halep saved them both. Halep then held, and suddenly, she had two match points on Jankovic's serve.

It was almost over, but the player known by many as Drama Queen (or, in some parts, Queen Chaos)--after muttering and gesturing her way through two sets--had one last performance to deliver. At 5-6, 15-40, she smashed a ball deep into the deuce court, and it was called out by a line official. Play was stopped, as the chair umpire went to check the line. She quickly the declared the ball in, and Jankovic assumed she had hit a winner and saved a match point, but the chair umpire called for a replay.

Jankovic argued with the umpire, then hung her head--indeed, slumped her entire body--over the net in frustration. Halep would go on to win the final set 7-5.

This is the third time that Jankovic and Halep have played one another. All of their matches have gone to three sets, and Halep has won both matches played on clay.

Halep's very impressive journey to the semifinals is reminiscent of other recent big, unexpected, clay tournament runs. Aravane Rezai won Madrid in 2010, taking out Justine Henin, Jankovic and Venus Williams, among others. That same year, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez claimed the Rome title, defeating Jankovic 7-5, 7-6 in the final with a series of expert drop shots that repeatedly stunned the (fast-moving) defending champion. Martinez Sanchez's other victims included Francesca Schiavone (who would go on to win the French Open that year), Caroline Wozniacki and Ana Ivanovic. The result was probably a particularly bitter pill for Jankovic to swallow because she had defeated both Williams sisters on her way to the final.

And speaking of Williams sisters--world number 1 Serena Williams will be Halep's next opponent. Halep, a qualifier, has already played six matches.

Dulko & Pennetta go to Rome final

Ever since Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta began playing doubles together again, they have been the new hot team. They won both Miami and Stuttgart, and now they are in the final in Rome, after defeating Liezel Huber and Nadia Petrova 6-2, 4-6, 10-5 in the semifinals.

The Italians' opponents will be last season's Sony Ericcson Championships winners, Nuria Llagostera Vives and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, who is also in the singles final. Llagostera Vives and Martinez Sanchez, seeded 2nd in Rome, defeated 4th seeds Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs 6-2, 7-6 today.

Safina, Azarenka, Kuznetsova, and Williams go to Rome semifinals

Top seed Dinara Safina came back from a set and a break down to defeat Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in today's Rome quarterfinals. Safina defeated Martinez Sanchez 4-6, 6-3, 6-0. Of course, a set and a break down is really nothing for Thrill Ride.

Victoria Azarenka is lucky that Kaia Kanepi double-faulted twelve times in their quarterfinal match. Azarenka was something of a mess in this match, in which the players held serve only twice in the opening set. The term "out of sorts" is probably used too much, but no description fits Azarenka's behavior today better. Azarenka, with a 7-6, 6-3 win, goes to the semifinals.

2007 and 2008 Rome champion Jelena Jankovic was taken out of the tournament today by Stuttgart champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-1, 7-6. Toward the end of the second set, Kuznetsova got tight and began making errors. It looked hopeful for Jankovic--I assumed there would be a third set--but Kuznetsova pulled it off.

I didn't get to see Venus Williams play Agnieszka Radwanska, but I understand that Williams was in extremely good form throughout. She must have been: She defeated Radwanska 6-1, 6-2.

Dulko and Pennetta take Rome title

Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez was going for the whole thing in Rome today, but she and partner Nuria Llagostera Vives had to be content with runner-up trophies in the Italian Open doubles competition. Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta, who won the title last week in Stuttgart, took the honors today in Rome, too. The Italian 6th seeds upset the Spanish 2nd seeds 6-4, 6-2.

It should be noted that while Pennetta's singles career has taken a dip lately, her doubles career is on fire. The opposite is true of Martinez Sanchez. She and Llagostera Vives were a very hot doubles team last year, but have not been able to find the same form this season.

Doubles upsets in Rome

Number 1 seeds Cara Black and Liezel Huber were defeated in the quarterfinals in Rome today by 5th seeds Daniela Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama, 6-4, 6-1. Hantuchova and Sugiyama, you will recall, defeated Black and Huber in what is still, for me, the most exciting match of the year--singles or doubles--in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. Black and Huber are looking a bit vulnerable these days.

The number 2 seeds also went out in today's quarterfinals. The unseeded team of Ipek Senoglu and Yaroslava Shvedova defeated Kveta Peschke and Lisa Raymond, 6-2, 6-4.

4th-seeded Nuria Llagostera Vives and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez received a walkover from Nadia Petrova and Dinara Safina because Safina's right ankle is injured. Had the walkover not occurred, Safina and Martinez Sanchez would have played each other twice today.

Defending champion out of Rome in first round

Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, who brilliantly defeated Jelena Jankovic in last year's Rome final, was defeated today in the first round of the 2011 Italian Open. Ekatarina Makarova defeated Martinez Sanchez 6-0, 5-7, 6-4. Gisela Dulko and Alexandra Dulgheru went out, too, defeated by Iveta Benesova and Polona Hercog, respectively.

Also defeated in the opening round was 2009 French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova. Kuznetsova lost to Greta Arn, 3-6, 7-6., 7-6. The third set tiebreak score was 11-9, and the match lasted three hours and 22 minutes. The third set, in fact, lasted an hour and 47 minutes. Arn saved four match points, and won on her fifth match point.

Rome quarterfinals--then and now

After reading a blog post about the lack of star power in the latter part of tournaments in both Charleston and Rome (not necessarily my opinion), I thought it would be interesting to look at last year's Rome quarterfinalists:

Tsvetana Pironkova--Flavia Pennetta took her out in the first round this year. She was not considered a star in 2008, nor is she now.

Anna Chakvetadze--She lost to Venus Williams in the third round today. A former star, she was considered a disaster last year. She now has a rather low profile.

Alize Cornet--A rising star last year, Cornet is now considered somewhat of a mess. She had a stomach virus this year and went out in the second round.

Serena Williams--A big star then and now, Williams lost to Patty Schnyder last night in the second round.

Venus Williams--Always a big star, Williams is through to the quarterfinals, after getting past Anna Chakvetadze today.

Jelena Jankovic--A big star last year and this year, the defending champion is easily through to the quarterfinals, thanks to Kateryna Bondarenko's viral illness.

Patty Schnyder--A star in her own right, if not a "star," Schnyder lost in the third round this year, after defeating Serena Williams.

Maria Sharapova--Maria and her shoulder are not in Rome this year.

This year's quarterfinalists:

Dinara Safina--She's the world number 1.

Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez--The Spaniar is a surprise (a good one) quarterfinalist in Rome.

Venus Williams--She beat Chakvetadze in a really strange match.

Agnieszka Radwanska--Radwanska is a low-key, very talented player, who took out mega-star Ana Ivanovic in the third round.

Svetlana Kuznetsova-Kuzzy is a star by any standard, and especially on clay.

Jelena Jankovic--Say no more.

Victoria Azarenka--Azarenka won Miami, which gives her star status.

Kai Kanepi--Kanepi is one of my very favorite under-the-radar players--certainly not a star.

So last year, there were four and a half (Cornet) stars, and this year there are five. Fact and perception do not always go well together.

Defending champion moves to third round of French Open

French Open defending champion Li Na advanced to the third round at Roland Garros today, easily defeating Stephanie Foretz Gacon 6-0, 6-2. Next for Li is Christina McHale, who was victorious today over countrywoman Lauren Davis. Li is in the same quarter as 2010 champion Francesca Schiavone and Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, whom she beat in the round of 16 during last year's French Open. Li, of course, beat Schiavone in the final to claim the title in 2011.

Arantxa Rus ended Virginie Razzano's brief, but unforgettable run, today. Klara Zakopalova defeated 16th seed Maria Kirilenko, and Caroline Wozniacki, Julia Goerges and Angelique Kerber all advanced. Saying goodbye was 19th seed Jelena Jankovic, who fell in three sets to a jubilant Varvaro Lepchenko. Lepchenko's second round victory keeps alive her hope of being part of the USA's Olympic team during the summer Games. As for Jankovic--it's more of a story now when she wins, and that is tennis's loss.

Maria Sharapova didn't get to play her second round match against Ayumi Morita because John Isner was at it again, playing a marathon match against a Frenchman--this time, veteran Paul-Henri Mathieu. Isner and eventual winner Mathieu played for 5 hours and 41 minutes, while Sharapova and Morita prepared for a match that wasn't to be played. They will play on Friday, and the winner will play Peng Shuai in the third round.

A third round match (one I won't see) that has the potential to be very good is the one scheduled between Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and Dominika Cibulkova. Martinez Sanchez has faded since her memorable Rome win in 2010, but has shown her tricky form again in Paris. Cibulkova was a French Open semifinalist in 2009, and is a grinder par excellence.

Also, Nadia Petrova and 2010 finalist Sam Stosur will go at it again, and--unless one of them has a nervous collapse (that can't be counted out), things could get interesting. Angelique Kerber faces Flavia Pennetta, and another good clay grinder, Sara Errani, goes against 2008 champion Ana Ivanovic. Top seed Victoria Azarenka is also scheduled to play tomorrow, and her opponent will be Aleksandra Wozniak.

3rd seed Agnieszka Radwanska, who may or may not be conjuring everything from the weather to the increasing strangeness of the draw, will play 2009 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, a clay competitor of great talent who has streaky results. Should The Radwanska prevail, either Errani or Ivanovic will await her in the round of 16. The 3rd seed has reached the round of 16 at the French Open three times, but has never gone beyond that. She has also never before been seeded 3rd or generally kicked everyone on the tour (except for Victoria Azarenka and Petra Cetkovska, who was kindly removed from competition by Frenchwoman Mathilde Johansson in the second round), around as though they were pieces of clay knocked from her shoes.

Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci, the hottest doubles team of the clay season, won their second round match today. The Italians, who are seeded 4th, have now won 27 straight red clay matches. Defending champions Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka also won today, as did 2nd seeds Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik. Losing, however, was the ad hoc team of Angelique Kerber and Agnieszka Radwanska, defeated by Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone. Considering that both Kerber and Radwanska probably have high expectations about their singles draw, the doubles defeat might not be the worst outcome for either of them.

Rome draw promises interesting early round action

Qualifiers have been placed in the draw, and the main draw action is about to begin in Rome. The tournament is being played in a brand new stadium, which can seat 10,500 people.

Former Italian Open champions who play this week include Dinara Safina (2009), Jelena Jankovic (2008, 2007), Kim Clijsters (2003), Serena Williams (2002), and Venus Williams (1999). Wild cards are held by Serena Williams, Romina Oprandi, Corrina Dentoni, and Maria Elena Camerin.

Here are some interesting first round matches:

Samantha Stosur vs. Dominika Cibulkova: Stosur, the 10th seed, may be a bit tired from her week in Stuttgart. On the other hand, Cibulkova hasn't played much lately; she had to withdraw from some clay tournaments because of an injury.

Gisela Dulko vs. Patty Schnyder: Though Schnyder is obviously winding down her career, Rome has always been a good venue for her. Both she and Dulko are capable of playing very well on clay, and both produce inconsistent results.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands vs. Melanie Oudin: USA Fed Cup team members, who just celebrated their run to the final, now have to be opponents in Rome. Mattek-Sands is a qualifier, so she has already played two matches in the new stadium. The winner gets two-time champion Jelena Jankovic.

Lucie Safarova vs. Olga Govortsova: This has the potential to be one of those good--and perhaps long-- matches that doesn't get much attention.

Francesca Schiavone vs. Daniela Hantuchova: Oh, dear--one of them has to go out in the first round.

2009 champion Dinara Safina will probably play Sara Errani in the second round, so she'll have her work cut out for her.

The doubles draw features a number of excellent teams, including the top seeds:

1. Liezel Huber & Nadia Petrova
2. Nuria Llagostera Vives & Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez
3. Cara Black & Elena Vesnina
4. Betanie Mattek-Sands & Yan Zi

Is there magic dust in that Italian clay?

Li Na beat Sam Stosur for the first time in her career, Ana Ivanovic beat Maria Sharapova for the first time in seven years, and today, in the quarterfinals, Jelena Jankovic beat Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-4, 6-4,  for the first time in six years. What's going on in Rome?!

I was supposed to be somewhere else late this morning but I was ill and had to stay home. The upside is that I got to watch the Jankovic-Radwanska match. That was a lot of fun, and JJ was just on fire. The only other time she beat A-Rad, it was also on clay. Rome is, of course, Jankovic's "blessed" city, and it's really nice to see her reach another semifinal. She won the event twice, in 2007 and 2008, and it appeared she would win it a third time, in 2010, when she took out both Williams sisters. However, in that final, she was spun, dropped and tricked into submission by an outrageously creative Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.

Sara Errani is still the last Italian standing. She beat Li Na 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.

There is a backstory to Li's error-filled performance. She's having some type of allergic reaction to something at the tournament, and she vomited right before the match. Of course, the Chinese star has been known to produce a lot of errors on several occasions, but today, she was apparently feeling pretty ill. This was, by the way, Errani's first win over a top-3 player.

It took her three sets, but Ana Ivanovic defeated Carla Suarez Navarro. Finally, Serena Williams beat Zhang Shuai 6-1, 6-3.

Jankovic will play Errani in the semifinals, and Williams will play Ivanovic. If Jankovic winds up in the final against Williams, we can all hope that those two put the antics aside (I was in Charleston, courtside, in 2013, and believe me when I tell you that--although JJ should have let it go--the chair umpire flagrantly and repeatedly ignored the rules regarding the serving player's time priority). If Jankovic winds up in the final against Ivanovic, you can be sure that the commentators will have a field day strirring up old issues that both women put aside long ago.

Of course, the final could feature Errani and either Williams or Ivanovic. Probably less drama in that case.

Errani will do double duty tomorrow because she will also compete in the doubles semifinals. She and partner Roberta Vinci will play Julia Goerges and Anna-Lena Groenefeld. In the other semifinal, Anabel Medina Garrigues and Yaroslava Shvedova will play Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik.