TR.net Olympic Picks: The woMEN

Can Mauresmo hold off Henin-Hardenne, Venus & Myskina?

By Matthew Cronin, TennisReporters.net

Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA

Will Amelie finally come though?

Amelie Mauresmo: For the first time at a huge (yet non-Slam) event, the mentally fragile Frenchwoman is the favorite. She’s been playing better than anyone in field since Wimbledon and is coming off a fine title run in Montreal. If Amelie plays up to her level, the gold is hers.

Anastasia Myskina: The Roland Garros champ made the smart choice and pulled out of Sopot with a sore rib, but she’s should have never entered in the first place. With a couple days rest, Lady Godiva should be good enough to ride into the quarters, but then there could be hell to pay in the difficult top half of the draw against Suarez, Venus, Henin-Hardenne or Petrova in the semis, and, of course, Mauresmo or Dementieva in the final.

Venus Williams: If her sprained wrist has completely healed, she’ll have a tremendous shot at defending her '00 gold medal. She’s owns Henin-Hardenne, who’s in her quarter, and she certainly isn’t scared of Myskina on hardcourts. But if Venus is in pain, a third-round exit against the dangerous Petrova is possible.

Justine Henin-Hardenne: If she wasn’t such a great champion and dogged competitor, there’s now way she’d be rated this high, given that’s she’s only played two matches in four-and-a-half months due to a debilitating virus. But the steely Belgian always come to play and if she can allez her way through her first three matches (Smashnova will be a huge test in the third round), she’ll be very dangerous.

Elena Dementieva: No one looked more thrilled during the Opening Ceremony’s Parade of Athletes than this '00 silver medallist, who says winning the gold is her biggest goal. She’s been missing a little something since the French final, but has played steady enough to keep herself in matches. If she plays to her level, the Russian should be able to fight off Sprem find her way to the semis against Mauresmo. Then it’s all on her serve.

Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA

Sprem is looking toward Dementieva.

Karolina Sprem: Is this rating too high for the Croatian teen? Not if you look at her draw. Only the steady Gisela Dulko and a slumping Ai Sugiyama stand between her and a quarterfinal match up with Dementieva, a contest she may not be prepared to win yet, but certainly one she’ll be salivating over.

Svetlana Kuznetsova: At first look and upon first discussion with this bicyclist’s daughter, you don’t get the impression that she’s mentally weak. But she has a hard time sustaining her pace against excellent players and often gets too down on herself. Moreover, she overplays. But Sveta is good enough to at least reach the third round, where she’ll have to stay solid against Schnyder.

Patty Schnyder: With her husband back on the road with her, she’ll likely be feeling more comfortable with her game. The Swiss is a momentum player: During the weeks that she’s zoning, she has Top-10 stuff. When she’s feeling blue, she’s no more than a Top-40 player.

Nadia Petrova: This is the talented Russian’s last chance of ’04 to stay on our B-plus list. She’s had an awful summer for the most part and could lose to Mary Pierce in the second round, but if she rediscovers her fire, could make serious hay against Venus and Henin-Hardenne.

Paola Suarez: Back after a minor injury, the Argentine will continue to prove that she’s not a doubles specialist. She doesn’t have the weapons to win the title, but is more than capable of reaching the quarters and taking Myskina deep into a third set.