|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE |  |
Previewing the women Davenport looks to repeat
Posted: Friday June 23, 2000 09:49 AM
Sports Illustrated staff writer Jon Wertheim breaks down the women's draw at this year's Wimbledon, predicting how the seeds will fare and looking at some dark horses and intriguing opening matchups. Click here for the men's draw, and don't forget to check back Monday when Wertheim will begin filing daily reports from London. 1. Martina Hingis: Don't look now, but Chucky has won but one of her past nine Slams. String is likely to continue here, on what should be her weakest surface. On the other hand, this much is guaranteed: She'll eclipse last year's performance. 2. Lindsay Davenport: If the back is healthy she could well repeat. Drew doubles partner Corina Morariu in the first round for seemingly the 168th time.
4. Conchita Martinez: Parabolic baseline game might work on clay, but she's no longer the Wimbledon threat she once was. 5. Venus Williams: Game is still coated with plenty of rust, but it's hard to see her losing before the quarters. 6. Monica Seles: The odds gets slimmer each year for a Seles career Grand Slam. She's serving well and the quicker points can mask any flagging conditioning, but everything has to be perfect for her to beat a player like Davenport. 7. Nathalie Tauziat: Former finalist may be thirtysomething but she can still play on grass. 8. Serena Williams: Ready for a Wimbledon breakthrough but -- after convalescing from a knee injury -- it may not come this year. Asa Carlsson is precisely the type of tricky veteran who could give her first-round fits. 9. Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario: Tough first-rounder in Justine Henin. Though her draw is otherwise pretty tame, she'll be making final wedding preparations by the middle of the second week. 10. Sandrine Testud: First-rounder against Anna Kournikova could be her best-attended match of the tournament. 11. Anke Huber: Could easily face Brits in her first two matches. A nice player, but hasn't been a legit Grand Slam contender for a few years now. 12. Amanda Coetzer: Here's the ugly truth about one of the nicest players on Tour: She has become a mammoth underachiever at Slams, Wimbledon in particular. 13. Amelie Mauresmo: Could pull some surprises. Likely to face countrywoman Tauziat in round of 16. 14. Julie Halard-Decugis: After a disastrous French, she should be able to live up to her seeding -- no more no less -- here. 15. Barbara Schett: She has big-time game and can play on grass, but her results in Slams don't add up. More than ready for her breakthrough. 16. Dominique Van Roost: As her career winds down, good wins have been hard to come by. An underrated grass-courter, but she must first get past Jennifer Capriati in the first round. First-round matches to watchSabine Appelmans-Ruxandra Dragomir: Interesting contrast in styles. Sandrine Testud-Anna Kournikova: To the paparazzi's dismay this may be Kournikova's first and last singles match. Justine Henin-Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario: If Henin's wrist is near 100%, she could present trouble. Dominique Van Roost-Jennifer Capriati: Another lousy draw for Capriati, who has essentially reverted to free fall since Melbourne. Dangerous floatersLisa Raymond: Playing on what is far and away her favorite surface. Kim Clijsters: Belgian teenager blisters the ball, but gets the tour's lousiest draws. Anna Kournikova: Jokes aside, she was a semifinalist just three years ago. Predictions Semifinals: Hingis-Raymond, Pierce-Davenport
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
