The NExt First Time GS winner

Time for over-analysis:

AMANDA COETZER <br />Nope. Can't seem to make an impact anywhere except in Oz...and never significant enough. Her fate is always determined on how well her opponent plays.

MAGDALENA MALEEVA<br />What has she done in a slam other than beat Navratilova early in the U.S. Open? Too bad there isn't a Slam for indoors where she'd have a chance.

SILVIA FARINA ELIA<br />Has only one title to her name. No real big win. She has her nice ranking through playing a lot.

SANDRINE TESTUD<br />Has the kind of game to give top players fits...but only if the opposing top player isn't playing well.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY<br />Has yet to make an impact in a Slam.

IRODA TULYAGANOVA <br />Inconsistent. Plays brilliant for a bit and then keeps losing. Could she have a brilliant streak running during the two weeks that really count? Perhaps. She did beat Clijsters and Henin...and I think she pulled Serena to 3 at Key Biscayne.

ELENA DEMENTIEVA <br />I honestly don't know. Better chances than all the previously mentioned though.

AMELIE MAURESMO <br />Definitely talented enough...just not mentally tough enough, I'm afraid. And it certainly doesn't help her that the French Open is played in France.

JELENA DOKIC<br />Now that she's consistent, she needs to get back to slaying the big girls. Needs to fix her serve and get more creative. Can win on every surface though. I won't be surprised if she grabs one.

JUSTINE HENIN<br />Heartbreakingly talented. (Young girls will probably be studying her game for years to come.) If it weren't for nerves she probably would've won one by now. Desperately needs to fix her serve. Desperately. Luckily, there is no Slam on her worst surface (indoors).

KIM CLIJSTERS <br />Mentally tougher than the rest. Came within two points of winning the Slam on what she says is her worst surface. Has been on fire lately. Has steadily improved over the past couple of years.

Heart says "Justine." Brain says "Kim."

Final Answer: Kim Clijsters

It's hard to predict these things. You never know. Someone may come out of the blue. And how many people said that Capriati would win two Slams?

I hope it would be either Iroda or Dokic.

Iroda can play brilliant tennis, and her backhand is just so amazing!! <img src="graemlins/hearts.gif" border="0" alt="[Hearts]" /> <img src="graemlins/hearts.gif" border="0" alt="[Hearts]" /> Problem is, that her forehand grip is just too western, they are too loopy, not aggressive enough, plus it tends to break down. Furthermore, she does not have enough match experience, that does not help her. Seen her matches, some of them, if she had more experience, she would have known what to do, and won the point easily. Given some time, I am sure she'll win a slam. She has a good serve, great atheletic ability, can play at the net and a fantastic backhand. Has the goods to win a slam!

Dokic is there in the top 10, but just not yet good enough to get into the top 6 or 7. She cannot compete with the likes of Davenport or Serena or Capriati. This can be seen by the schooling given by Martina at the US Open and Davenport for the past 3 weeks. She just cannot match up yet. I think it is something to do with her being unable to handle deep groundstrokes as well as her serve being under constant pressure. If she can work on her serve, as well as how to play aggressively against people who hit deep balls, I think she'll get there.

That said, I think seriously that either Kim or Justine will get the slam first, because they were the closest this year, and I mean they've been there before, so it'll probably go to them.

I agree with the "heart Henin, brain Kim" philosophy espoused by most here.

Just to pick out a few though: Amelie needs to go back to school before she's going to even get to another Slam final, let alone talk of winning one.

She has outrageous talent, but lately doesn't know how to kill opponents off. Technique wise, fitness wise, there's absolutely nothing that she could not do, but i) I don't see any real desire from Amelie, where you do with Kim, Justine, Jelena, Elena and Iroda. ii) I don't think she's the kind of girl that walks on to the court against any player and says "I'm too good for you, I am gonna win this", it's like she doesn't believe it herself. We should be talking about her as a definite contender to be next, but she's not.

I've been so impressed with Elena's play from USO onwards. Great strokes, great control, fantastic movement, accuracy, pace and power. Serve will be huge when she sorts it out, and I think she's just aching to get the confidence that will go with a first tournament win.

I'd back her to definitely win a Slam, but can't see her winning one ahead of Kim or Justine (because I think they both have major chances to win one next year).

Kim/Justine: both were close this year, Kim of course closest. For Kim, you can't say 'you need to do X to win a Slam', because she was close enough to Jen at RG to have won. I couldn't fault her performance or her mentality at all in that match. I agree with whoever said that next time she finds herself in such a position, she won't be as tentative, and will have the maturity to go for it without going overboard.

To my mind, Justine came up against a tougher player in her final, and didn't consistently have the answers. Overall though she needs the confidence back in her serve (which will just take the pressure off the rest of her game), and make just a nanosecond more time for herself on the big shots against the big players.

Out of all the others who I'd realistically put as potential slam winners, Jelena needs to find a balance between A-game and no game. Iroda could be a future slam winner, but I can't see it happening before any of those I've already mentioned.

It could be "the next big thing" to come along rather than any of the young girls currently competing. But I think that anyone out of Clijsters, Henin, Mauresmo or Dokic could do it.

Based on this years' performance, I wouldn't back Dementieva. Her SF at the US Open in 2000 was admirable and showed great determination, but I have reservations as to how well she could push the top girls in a row.

And unless Kournikova suddenly gets stronger (I believe she's a bit frail physically and mentally) or gets that brilliant burst of inspiration that was evident at the 1998 Lipton, I don't think she'll have much luck. A couple more SF's are not out of the question though. Or even a final.

I know too little about Tulyaganova to judge. I think Shaughnessy might find it a little tough. She hasn't really made much of an impact at Grand Slam level to suddenly find herself in a winning position one day.

I think Coetzer lost her best chance, perhaps, in 1997 at the French, where she took it to Majoli in the SF but couldn't prevail to reach the final. How she would've done against Hingis, I don't know. But I think anyone who could hurdle Graf so convincingly could give Hingis a challenge.

I thought Farina Elia was retiring. So maybe no chance now. <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> I feel that Testud and Maleeva lack (and please forgive me for saying this, but) the talent. Neither have come close in their respective careers, and to suddenly pull out a victory now (with the way the girls are punishing the ball) is unlikely. Maleeva is not the most consistent at Grand Slam level. And time is running out for Testud.

With a great draw and some great form, Clijsters, Henin, Mauresmo and Dokic are the most likely to win their first Slam soon, I think. Otherwise, they may have to wait. Or miss out altogether. <img src="frown.gif" border="0">