[Adi1987]

She needs to pray to Jehovah for the following draw :

1st round : Oudin
2nd round : Coco
3rd round : Venus
4th round : Hantuchova
Quater Finals : Ivanovic
Semi Finals : Vinci
Final : Sharapova

[Pavstry.]

Originally Posted by VIKA-GOAT

Madrid is going back to the red clay

still the court conditions will be very same since color never was the problem.

[Jajaloo]

What strategy? Razzano wins all the matches.

[MrProdigy555]

Only one strategy: Stop mentally defeating herself.

I think this whole "be calm," "stay calm," "you play better when you're calm" thing that she has been doing post French Open is all in preparation for the 2013 French Open, to be honest.

[SerenaMJ]

Madrid is going to be back on red clay this year...

[dsanders06]

Originally Posted by Pump-it-UP

Yes, the top players have shown that speed is so critical to having success on clay in the post-Henin era.

Every player who has won RG in recent years (yes, including Maria) has better movement/footwork on clay than post-2003 Serena.

[BH both wings]

Originally Posted by SerenaMJ

Madrid is going to be back on red clay this year...

Doesn't matter much. Madrid is a terrible preparation tournament for real clay no matter what colour they put on the courts. If you play clay court tennis in Madrid, you lose. Too bad it is a Mandatory during the RG preparation phase ...

[dsanders06]

Originally Posted by BH both wings

Doesn't matter much. Madrid is a terrible preparation tournament for real clay no matter what colour they put on the courts. If you play clay court tennis in Madrid, you lose. Too bad it is a Mandatory during the RG preparation phase ...

Yup. People really need to stop thinking it's the colour of the clay that was the issue Madrid's ALWAYS been an awful preparation tournament because of (a) the altitude, and (b) the clay is such shoddy quality that it's impossible to move on it like you can on proper clay. You just have to look at Kvitova winning in 2011 despite her game being wholly unsuitable for clay - giving a beatdown to a player who would beat her at RG a few weeks later. The 2010 Madrid finalists did awfully at RG too. Stuttgart and Rome have ALWAYS Been better indicators of who will do well at RG (actually, Stuttgart's been the best indicator of all in recent years, which makes sense seeing as they specifically import the same clay that RG use).

[TheDream]

Originally Posted by dsanders06

Every player who has won RG in recent years (yes, including Maria) has better movement/footwork on clay than post-2003 Serena.

Not even close. Especially Maria. Serena's movement is far better than Ana, Maria and Schiavone. She's faster at least than either Na Li and Kuznetsova.

[dsanders06]

Originally Posted by TheDream

Not even close. Especially Maria. Serena's movement is far better than Ana, Maria and Schiavone. She's faster at least than either Na Li and Kuznetsova.

No, on clay her footwork and movement is far clumsier than any of them.

[TheDream]

Originally Posted by MrProdigy555

Only one strategy: Stop mentally defeating herself.

I think this whole "be calm," "stay calm," "you play better when you're calm" thing that she has been doing post French Open is all in preparation for the 2013 French Open, to be honest.

Yeah, none of it is that crap about her game not being suited to clay, or get movement or footwork. That's I think it's all mental at this stage. Her last 3 losses at the FO she had significant leads including a match point against Stosur. Not to mention tough 3 set losses to Capriati and not even mention the emphasis one to Henin. That match might have really rattled her confidence because of the circumstances, she was chasing history, and the crowd reaction and getting involved. But, it's not at the FO, she's lost tons of 3 set matches on clay even while having match points.

[TheDream]

Originally Posted by dsanders06

No, on clay her footwork and movement is far clumsier than any of them.

This year on clay she wasn't. She's not a natural mover on clay but she moves a million times better than the likes of a Sharapova or Ivanovic.

[TennisArt]

Originally Posted by TheDream

This year on clay she wasn't. She's not a natural mover on clay but she moves a million times better than the likes of a Sharapova or Ivanovic.

I think he meant on red clay... which I kinda agree with. As for tournaments though, really hope she skips Charleston and Madrid. Not even Nadal like playing in Madrid and that's his home Country. That's a big tell-tell sign if the greatest clay court player ever thinks the surface is not suitable.

[Olórin]

Originally Posted by TennisArt

I think he meant on red clay... which I kinda agree with. As for tournaments though, really hope she skips Charleston and Madrid. Not even Nadal like playing in Madrid and that's his home Country. That's a big tell-tell sign if the greatest clay court player ever thinks the surface is not suitable.

I really wish Serena would pay attention to these things. I absolutely hate Madrid, it's the worst tournament I've ever watched. I wish they'd just scrap it. It will be exactly same surface conditions next year and guaranteed it won't predict the winner of the French.

[SanyaK]

You can forget about Serena competing for titles on european clay. Even on this stage of her career Williams is better on her worst surface than a plenty of players, but to contend for Rome and FO she will need a bit of help from the best. Really, in such conditions now everything doesn`t depend on Serena as it is on clay (well, never was though, but it`s obvious that with every year Serena becomes more dependent from her serve).

I`m pretty sure that even if Williams takes AO she won`t change her casual shedule and, mainly, attitude to win 4 GS in a row again. She has already done it. No, SW will focus on other 3 GS, Miami and 3-4 other competitions if health allows.