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NOTES
ON A DRAW SHEET
No guarantee: Will Venus' wrist
hold up?
By
Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net
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Susan
Mullane
Camerawork USA, Inc.
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FROM ROLAND GARROS –
Venus Williams has never won a Slam when she came in with a notable
injury so there's few reasons to think that she can pull off winning
Roland Garros when her right wrist still aches from picking up a
suitcase the wrong way a couple weeks ago.
But in her win over 6-3 6-3
win over Germany's Bianka Lamade on Monday, Williams at least showed
that she is willing to claw out wins anyway she can while she hopes
that her wrist will improve.
"I won't be able to tell
you which shots are tougher on my wrist but as long as I keep my
practices down, don't push myself and hopefully keep the sets down
[I'll be okay]," she said. "But that's no guarantee."
That's not exactly what her
fans want to hear because it's pretty obvious that she'll need every
ounce of power and finesse that is contained in her wrist to win
Roland Garros, the one locale where she has never made a serious
run. In 1998, she did reach the quarters, but was virtually embarrassed
by Martina Hingis. Last year, she was blown apart in the first round
by Barbara Schett.
"I think I just have to play well, like any other place, being
willing to compete on every point" said Williams. "But
this years been okay for me. It may be my best start ever. I'd like
to keep it rolling."
The only way that Venus is going to win this tournament is by concocting
a perfect mix of offense and defense, because she still does'nt
hit her forehand hard enough to dominate a mushy court with it.
She'll get her handful of aces and service winners, be able to rush
the net eight times a set or so and rip backhands winners both crosscourt
and down the line, but she is not going to be able to deliver quick
knockouts like she does at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Like Jennifer
Capriati did last year, Venus need to adapt her game to the surface
and play to her strengths rather than trying to cover up her weaknesses.
She needs to learn to love the clay and nuzzle up to it like she
does on the grass .
Williams said that the key
to great clay court tennis is "patience, running a lot of balls
down, getting a little lucky, just playing the ball and the court,
really understanding the game, how to move the ball and your opponent
around, taking advantage. Really, it's a lot of fun." Let the
party begin.
GUGA PROVES GRAND
Those also having fun on Monday included
three-time cham Guga Kuerten, who easily; '01 finalist Alex Corretja,
who crushed Bohdan Uhlirach; Aussie champ Thomas Johansson, who
cruised; 1997 champ Iva Majoli, who looked impressive in her win;
Daniela Hantuchova, who blitzed Cara Black, and Old Man Mountain
Todd Martin, who was cast out to Court 16 and needed five long sets
to repress Argentine qualifier Martin Arguello Vassallo.
Those having no fun at all
include Jan Michael Gambill, who shattered his frame after dropping
a five-setter to Younes El Aynaoui, and German Nicolas
Keifer, who's days as a top-10er are long gone.
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