Deepa’s Draw Picks: Ladies in the City

Written by: Staff on 26th August 2011

Deepa’s Draw Picks: Ladies in the City

Na Li of China returns to Sabine Lisicki of Germany during their second round match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 23 June 2011. EPA/NEIL MUNNS |

To me, the tennis calendar reads a lot like my senior year of high school. The Australian Open, with its feel-good vibes and general cheeriness is like the first day of school. Everyone is excited to see everyone again, and us tennis fans are dusting off our armchairs to see who is going to be the “big thing” this year.

The French Open is like the grind of the middle of the school year. Much like seniors in high school may find themselves burning the midnight oil cramming before an exam, matches can extend into similar times of darkness in the evening. Clay court tennis is all about the grind, who can out last their opponents both physically and mentally, and by the time you hit senior year, high school feels the same way.

Then comes Wimbledon, that most dignified of sporting events. I would say it is most like the Senior Awards Ceremony. Everyone is on their best behavior, in their finest clothes, ready to finally be given the recognition they deserve for the hard work they’ve done. It’s a time that every coach, parent, and sponsor waits for, to watch their player step on to the grass of SW19 if even just to say they were there. More than any other tournament, being a Wimbledon champion is a testament to the people who got you there, not much different from being the class valedictorian is it?

So that leaves us with the US Open. Where does this fit into my senior year analogy? If it isn’t obvious, the US Open is the prom. This is the time of year where the players glitter and sparkle as much as the lights of Manhattan. It’s a time for people to come out of their shell, and give it one last hurrah before the season winds down. The backdrop of New York City can turn anyone into a dreamer in the city that never sleeps. If Wimbledon is the place where tennis stars are born, then the US Open is the place where tennis rockstars are born.

Just two short weeks, and we will soon be ready to crown our prom king and queen. Let’s take a look at this year’s queen contenders.

First Quarter

Yes yes, I know. Caroline Wozniacki hasn’t had the best of luck since her early exits in Paris and London. Still, you can’t help but assume that the Yale Football team will once again come to her rescue (don’t get jealous Rory) and give her that extra boost she needs to help erase the word “slamless” from the beginning of her name. Her section of the draw is certainly doable despite some shakiness recently in transforming her game and she shouldn’t run into too much trouble on her way into the quarterfinal. I would keep an eye out for Daniela Hantuchova, just because history has a way of repeating itself.

Then there is Li Na, that rebel from the east that loves a big stage as much as she loves using it to poke fun at her husband. Despite lukewarm results since her historic win at Roland Garros, she knows how to study for the big tests and did make it to the Australian Open final this year. Her game is a little more aggressive than Wozniacki’s and if all its parts are properly oiled, she shouldn’t have trouble dismissing the Dane.

Quarterfinal: Li d. Wozniacki

Second Quarter

Let’s get serious. There really only needs to be one name here: Serena Williams. At this point, it seems like the first four rounds in this quarter are a mere formality. I wouldn’t be surprised to see “WD – terrified” next to the names of her opponents. She is playing well, like scary well, especially for someone who nearly died. Her injuries were no joke and it looks like she’s not taking her second lease on a tennis career lightly either.

I picked Schiavone to make her way to this quarterfinal, but that’s mostly only because I like her style and love watching her play. She’s been having good, solid results and has adapted her game to hard courts very well this year. Still, she’s no match for the Serena Train.

Quarterfinal: Williams d. Schiavone

Third Quarter

If Serena is the queen of the second quarter, Maria Sharapova is the dictator of the third. The tall Russian’s draw could not have been more comfortable for her, which is a good thing considering she likes giving her fans small heart attacks during early rounds of grand slams (Caroline Garcia–never forget). However, this time around, she shouldn’t face any major obstacles until the quarters.

Who shall I pick as her opponent? The Polish Ninja of course! Agniezska Radwanska has been having a great hard court warm up and is in good position to make a big mark in Flushing. Well, I take that back. She will probably somehow sneak into this quarterfinal while the rest of us are too distracted by Serena and Caroline’s dates.

Quarterfinal: Sharapova d. Radwanska

Fourth Quarter

This is the most interesting quarter. We could transport to 5 or 6 years ago and find the same names staring right back at us. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the more, ahem, mature players will likely dominate this quarter. My round of 16 picks include Venus Williams, Marion Bartoli, Vera Zvonareva, and Sam Stosur. I have some reservations about Venus’s physical health, and Sam’s mental health, so we are left with Marion and Vera.

Quarterfinal: Bartoli d. Zvonareva

Semifinal 1: Williams d. Li

Semifinal 2: Sharapova d. Bartoli

Final: Williams d. Sharapova