2016 French Open Women’s Preview
The second Grand Slam of the 2016 calendar is just around the corner as all eyes will be on Roland Garros for the French Open tournament starting on Sunday, May 22. In the women’s side of action, it looks like once again to be a case of Serena Williams versus the rest.
The World Number one American had an indifferent start to the season where she lost the Australian Open finals to Angelique Kerber. Serena’s form in the Clay season has also been low-key. Losses at the Indian Wells to Victoria Azarenka and Miami Masters to Svetlana Kuznetsova doesn’t portray Serena in her usual invincibility. The three-time Champion is defending here title here and will still be the hot favorite for title. At odds of 3.3 (sportsbet), Serena is the favorite for all punters.
Azarenka seems to have put the injury problems of the last two seasons to bed finally. The Belarussian has done the Indian Wells – Miami double in the clay season, something which no player was able to do since Kim Clijsters in 2005. She’s in the same half as Serena but would take the confidence of beating her at Indian Wells to Paris. Odds of 8.0 (sportsbet) make her an interesting watch.
2014 finalist Simona Halep has been struggling for form this year but French Open brings fond memories to her. World number two Agnieszka Radwanska is a top contender too but her record in Paris has been very poor. Kerber surprised the Tennis world by lifting the Australian Open, upsetting Serena on the way. Clay season hasn’t been kind to her with injuries and poor form marring her preparations. She has reached the quarter-finals here once and could equal that performance this year.
Among others, the 22-year-old Spaniard Gabrine Muguruza and the young American Madison Keys would be the ones to watch out. Although their chances to end up as Champions are remote, they have the potential to create an upset or two. Australian hopes will be pinned on the 2010 finalist Samantha Stosur and the rising star Daria Gavrilova. Sadly for the Aussies, these two look good for a quarter-final appearance at best.
Despite the hiccup at Australian Open and her indifferent run-in to the Roland Garros, Serena looks set to be the fourth time Champion here. Can someone stop her? It’s a million dollar question which tries to find an answer on the courts of Paris starting this Sunday!
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