|
|
 |
 |   |
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Breaking down the U.S. Open draw
Sports Illustrated senior writer Jon Wertheim peers into his crystal ball to reveal the fate of the top 16 men's and women's seeds for the U.S. Open. Scroll down to see the first-round matches you shouldn't miss, some darkhorse candidates to advance to Week 2, and his championship predictions. WOMEN'S REPORT | Men's Report 1. Martina Hingis: She's given little indication this year that she deserves her seeding. If the USTA suits had the hubris of their All England counterparts, they'd depart from the rankings and seed one of the Americans first. Unkind draw has her facing NCAA champ Laura Granville and talented Lina Krasnoroutskaya in first two matches. 2. Jennifer Capriati: Her status as a comeback kid for all time would be cemented if she won her third major of the year. But her play has tailed off since losing to Justine Henin at Wimbledon. Also, it remains to be seen how well she'll handle the pressure of her "home Slam."
4. Venus Williams: Hard to pick against defending champ, who has won three of last five Slams. 5. Kim Clijsters: Should be smooth sailing for first week. But if she beats Venus in the quarters it will be an epic upset -- never mind their propinquity in the rankings. 6. Justine Henin: Like her countrywoman Clijsters, it's hard to see her beating a Williams -- Serena, in this case -- in the fourth round. 7. Monica Seles: Inspired play of late and improved fitness make her a credible contender, if an outside one. She needs to get past recent nemesis Meghann Shaughnessy in Round 4. If so, she'll rouse the crowds like no player since Jimmy Connors a decade ago. 8. Amelie Mauresmo: Jangly nerved French femme is overdue for a breakout. She can bang with the best of them, but it's hard to see her surpassing Capriati. 9. Nathalie Tauziat: Could do some damage in final Slam, but, as with Mauresmo, it's hard to see her surviving Capriati's quadrant. 10. Serena Williams: Shame on her for slipping to the 10th spot. That said, after beating both Capriati and Seles last week in Toronto, she has to be feeling confident. Possible rematch against Davenport in quarters is tantalizing. 11. Elena Dementieva: Sophomore slump will continue for last year's surprise semifinalist. 12. Meghann Shaughnessy: Beats a hasty retreat from publicity, but reed-thin Arizonan has game. 13. Amanda Coetzer: A serial underachiever at Slams who could easily lose to Virginie Razzano in Round 2. 14. Jelena Dokic: Tends to play her best tennis at Slams. Not a bad pick if you're in the market for a dark horse. On a related note, we hear Restaurant Associates has curbed the price of salmon. 15. Magdalena Maleeva: Never seems to play her best at the majors. 16. Silvia Farina Elia: Will live up to her seeding. No more, no less. LOWER SEEDS WORTH WATCHING 17. Anke Huber: In her last event on American soil, she could make life hard for the right seed. 18. Sandrine Testud: Never beats the top guns but always gives them a workout 19. Barbara Schett: Fittingly, the belle du jour of the women's tour takes Anna Kournikova's seeding. 31. Lisa Raymond: Aggressive style always makes for fun watching. DANGEROUS FLOATERS Patty Schnyder: On talent alone.
FIRST-ROUND MATCHES TO WATCH
Hingis vs. Laura Granville: Top seed might get a surprise from NCAA singles champ. Seles vs. Nicole Pratt: Fiesty, annoying all-courter will make Seles work. Huber vs. Maria Emilia Salerni: Former junior champ has little to lose against veteran. Cara Black vs. Tauziat: The rare women's match between two attacking players. PREDICTIONS Semifinals: Seles vs. Davenport; Venus Williams vs. Capriati
Click here to send a question to Jon Wertheim's Tennis Mailbag.
| |||||||||||||||||||||
