[sartrista7]

MARTINA HINGIS and LINDSAY DAVENPORT need Roland Garros. Hingis tends to be psyched out there and currently seems to be in decline; Davenport simply dislikes the surface. can either overcome their shortcomings here?<br />MONICA SELES needs Wimbledon. Even at her best she couldn't win this... any hope that she can triumph there now?<br />VENUS WILLIAMS needs the Australian Open and Roland Garros. She's never been particularly quick off the mark in a season, and - despite being underestimated on clay - has never shaken up Roland Garros. Can her improved commitment help her next year?<br />ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO needs the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Her glory days are emphatically behind her and retirement surely can't be too far off. Can she go out on an extra special high?<br />JENNIFER CAPRIATI needs Wimbledon and the US Open. She has the game for both - but was last season's fade out of the elite for good?

And the others? Serena Williams, Iva Majoli and Conchita Martinez have one Slam each. Is it inconceivable that any will add each of the others to her collection before any of the above?

Or will someone else, not yet a Slam champion, take all 4 titles first? A promising young player - Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin, Elena Dementieva, Jelena Dokic? Or maybe the next woman to win the Full House is still in the juniors? What do you think?

Personally, I'd pick Venus. Maybe not this year, but she'll do it first. If Martina pulls herself together she has the next best shot.

 

[Big Lindsay]

Your champion will be Davenport in Paris, 2002 (barring injuries of course). <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

 

[Sam L]

I agree Venus than Hingis... having said that I might change my mind after seeing Hingis play in Australia! hopefully <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

I doubt Lindsay or Monica will ever do it <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> it's unfortunate but i just don't think they ever will win those slams <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

ASV will definitely NOT do it... no offence but that's a tough ask <img src="redface.gif" border="0"> (AO & Wimbledon)

 

[thefreedesigner]

I think Hingis before Venus.

OK, we know that Venus is the better player - I'm not implying anything to the contrary there.

But Roland Garros nullifies Venus' greatest weapons: Her court coverage/speed and her power.<br />It doesn't nullify them exactly, but Venus is put on a level playing field with everyone else (the quality players) and I feel will always be a little exposed here.

That's not to say she won't win it, because RG for the women tends to get a little unpredictable.

The things that I feel will always make it (more) difficult for Venus, help Martina. She doesn't need a big serve, her excellent first serve percentage will on the whole be adequate (certainly more so than on other surfaces). She doesn't have to have to slug out anything with the big babes, she can afford (more) to pitter-patter the ball back, BUT MUST KILL IT WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES (sorry for the caps).

Martina has let the fact that she perhaps should have won RG buy now, get to her. She was the heir apparent to Chris Evert's sublime record here, and it bugs her greatly that she's been foiled twice when she should (again perhaps) have one. Martina is no longer heir apparent, and that fact might actually ease the pressure she puts on herself when it comes to winning this event.

Venus also needs Australia. 2002 will give us a good idea of how willing she is to come out of the starting blocks firing, but in any case I can't say that she won't win at some point.

Monica: Two-handed both wings will not get her a Wimbledon title (unfortunately).

Lindsay: Does she believe that she can win RG? She's so pragmatic that she'd probably say she had a 'cat in hell's chance', and that attitude will I feel hamper her far more than Venus (who would never entertain that she couldn't win RG).

Arantxa: If she wins another slam, it'll be one she's already won anyway.

Jennifer: Would be a really good outside bet for the long term. For me she's done 'the hard work' in winning the 2 slams least would have expected her to win.

Kim/Justine/ et al: doubt either would get the whole set before Martina (unless Martina completely burns out).

Serena: She only has 1, which hampers her in being ahead of Martina/Lindsay, but I'd put her chances of the OZ/WIM better than Venus' chances at the French (though note: I'm not completely wrting Venus off here). Serena has more than enough craft and guile to be able to hang with the European clay specialists.

enough for ya?

[ November 23, 2001: Message edited by: thefreedesigner ]</p>

 

[Justin]

Mary Pierce needs only Wimbledon and the US Open.

My bet is Martina Hingis- although I really, really, really want Monica to bag Wimbledon (which she should have won in 1998)

 

[super_hingis]

no doubt about martina to win the french.

 

[Shane54]

Freedesigner, it is really refreshing to see your analysis...So many times, people let their biases get in the way.. Thanks for the comment on Jennifer's chances...Also, on all the other players you did a very good analysis..I agree with you on all the players chances...... I do appreciate your FAIR assessment on Jennifer especially...I know to she will be an outside bet also <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0"> ..but you did add that she has done the hard work by winning the two grandslam I thought she would least likely to win(The French on slow clay WOW)..But thanks for the refreshing HONEST yet Fair assessment of my fav!! So many posters on the board assess her like she is the 1,000th ranked player in the world.....

[ November 23, 2001: Message edited by: Shane54 ]</p>

 

[anabel]

Martina Hingis will complete them.

Lindsay French? i dont think so....

 

[Adrian]

Nothing has changed in the last 12 months in that Martina is the most likely to do it first.

I'd be surprised if Lindsay or Venus ever won the french. That goes for Serena as well.

I'll stick my neck a bit further and say Martina will complete her collection this year <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

 

[Becool]

Hmmmmm since when people come saying that Hingis would win Roland Garros??? Since 1997????<br /> <img src="redface.gif" border="0">

 

[Kart]

Martina has been in 3 semis and a final since 1997 so if she gets her act together I would still give her a decent chance.

At present though I think Venus is the most likely although I think Lindsay has a better chance if she can get over her hatred of clay.

 

[Volcana]

Martina needs RG. Best clay court player in the world for four years. Those four years are over. Clay s a physically grueling surface, and Martina has loked more and more limited physically as this season wore on.

Lindsay needs RG. Which she could get. She never believed she could win Wimbledon either. She's the only pro I've ever seen be so successful WITHOUT a really positive attitude.

Monica needs WB. There's always prayer.

Mary needs WB, US. How will she be after a year off?<br />Venus needs RG, OZ. She'll do it. But 'next'? Not likely.

Jenn needs WB, US. I'm a little stunned but this is my pick. She knows what she needs to do to get in GS winning shape. SHe knows what she did wrong during the season to lose that condition. She knows she can win GS titles. WB will be tough, but Martina won it without a serve. If Jenn comes in in tip top shape, she could win it with just a forehand. It's been done before.<br /> <br />I'm not much of a fan of Jenn's, but she good enough and she knows she's good enough.

 

[Lindsayfan]

i think Lindsay can do it,if only she practises a lot on clay.if she is at her best shape and if she finds a good draw (many great players last 2 years played bad in RG) so i think the hope never dies... <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

 

[QUEENLINDSAY]

I would actually put the following players in order of their chances.

1. Hingis, She just needs RG. I believed she can win it. She does'nt need power a lot to win French.

2. Lindsay, She only needs RG. I put her behind Martina coz, I am honest to say that as of now, Martina has a better record on clay than Davenport.

3. Capriati- She needs 1 WB and 1 US. She did good in both GS this year reaching both semis.

4. Venus-- She still needs 1 RG and 1 AO. If its WB or US she's lacking, I'll put her on the top list. She never had any won on both surface yet as far as I know.

5. Its hard to predict yet who's next. It could be Serena or Kim.

6. Seles, winning WB? why not? but this is really a hard work for her. though I still believes she is still the player to beat in RG. She could then stop them take that Full House GS.

 

[disposablehero]

I would think Monica or Venus. I can envision Venus eventually winning the French, I can't see Lindsay doing it. Martina only needs the French, but she needs to make a big turnaround. Wimbledon will be very very tough for Monica, but she could do it.

 

[tenn_ace]

either Martina or Serena.

Martina has just one to go and new dedicated Serena will have a great year... theone who wins French, will first complete the GS

 

[ys]

SLower balls should help Seles at W. Quicker balls should help Venus and Lindsay at RG. Hingis can win French, no question about that.<br />I'd say, Hingis.

 

[Williams Rulez]

I'd say Hingis or Venus!

 

[Cheops]

This is a very good question. Here's my analysis (By current rank).

<br />Lindsay- She has no record on clay for 2001. She appears to dislike the surface, so for her to win RG would be shocking.

JCap- She's gotten past the biggest hump for most players, but getting past Venus on grass and at the USO seems a bit unsurmountable.

Venus- She made it to semis at AO last year and will play a tune up next year. This is definitely do-able. She played on clay thrice last year and won Hamburg. I think that Henin shocked Venus in Berlin (after all, it was their first meeting). Maybe that broke her concentration for RG. I'm unsure on this one, but one thing's for sure: Venus can win on clay.

Hingis- She played on clay five times last year and lost five times (once to ASV, and twice to both JCAP and Momo). Yet she reached the semis at RG and appears to be able to take her game up a level when it counts. RG may very well be Hingis' best chance for a Grand Slam title now that the Big Babes are out and about.

So I'm torn between Venus and Hingis. And although Venus needs two, I give Venus the edge. I fully expect her to better her semi-reaching performance. And at RG 2002, she will expect the unexpected and stay focused from start to finish. I'm sure she can do it.

 

[~ The Leopard ~]

Right now you'd have to put your money on Serena. I don't consider this good news, but I've gotta give her the credit.