Wimbledon: First Round Matches to Watch

The grass court season, as it so often does, really snuck up on us this year, and just a couple weeks after the king and queen of the French Open were crowned, everyone's forced to quickly change gears and take to the lawn.

Maybe it's this lack of prep that allows for seeds to so widely diverge from actual rankings. It might seem a bit unfair -- rewarding those who have dropped out of the top spots with relatively easier draws. But with some tough-as-nails players having been out of the game so long, their potential opponents should actually breathe sighs of relief that they won't face the big guns too early in the draws.

But the seemingly mangled seedings still leave plenty of room for surprises in players' openers. And, as always, you know some will get an opportunity to break through, while others may be sent packing far sooner than they expected.

Let's start with the gentlemen.

The Men First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter

The Women First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter

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The Men

First Quarter

The pressure is on top seeded Rafael Nadal -- if he finishes anything less than champion, he'll lose his #1 ranking. And the draw is certainly working against him -- though his first couple rounds should be easy enough, with big servers like Juan Martin Del Potro and Milos Raonic in his section, he'll clearly have to battle later in the week.

But there are some interesting early matches here. Raonic, seeded below his ranking at #31, faces Fabio Fognini to start. The Canadian's serve-and-volley game should be well suited to this surface, certainly more so than the clay-court specialist's, and I want to see him come out firing from the get-go. And Fernando Verdasco, who's fallen a bit in the game, takes on former top-ten player Radek Stepanek. The Czech has a winning record against Nando -- and won their only meeting at Wimbledon five years ago. And if his game is up to snuff, he could cause an upset.

The late-round match-to-watch: Mardy Fish is playing at his best career ranking, and has spent the last year showing he's a contender on any surface. He could set up a fourth round first date with last year's runner-up Tomas Berdych. Two strong guys with great games could put on quite a show to kick off the second week.

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Second Quarter

Novak Djokovic has another chance to grab the #1 ranking from Nadal in London, and after his legendary win streak ended in Paris, you know he'll be eager to take every opportunity he gets. He faces France's Jeremy Chardy in his first round, and so should be able to kick off his campaign in style.

But I'll be closely watching the return of my dear James Blake, playing his first Major since last year in New York. He's been spending a lot of time in the triple-digits recently, but a couple good results at Challenger events earned him entrée here. He'll face 's-Hertogenbosch semifinalist Marcos Baghdatis in his opener -- a wholly winnable match -- and could be the latest veteran to make a late push at a Slam.

Also keep an eye on Alejandro Falla -- a wildcard at Wimbledon, he nearly stunned Roger Federer in the first round last year. He'll meet Jurgen Melzer, who's been a little spotty recently, so could take a big step in improving his ranking. And the match up between Ernests Gulbis and Dmitry Tursunov should set the stage for players trying to pull off -- and, in the latter's case, actually succeeding in -- their comebacks.

The late-round match-to-watch: Robin Soderling is one of the favorites here, but is flying well below the radar compared to his contemporaries. He's slated to meet a rebuilding Nikolay Davydenko in the third round -- the two were foils in 2009, trading wins during their respective best years. If Davydenko can't put up a fight here, it might mean his time at the top is well past him.

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Third Quarter

Roger Federer hasn't been seeded this low at Wimbledon since 2003 -- where, incidentally, he won his first Grand Slam. He had looked a bit soft early in the year, but a finals run at Roland Garros pushed the needle back in his direction. He shouldn't have as much trouble with Mikhail Kukushkin as he did with Falla last year, though we could always be surprised.

Eighteenth seed Mikhail Youzhny has been battling injuries lately and has made a couple quick exits during the spring. His volatility could open the door for Juan Monaco, a couple positions out of seeding range, to make a move. And former world #5 Fernando Gonzalez is playing his first Slam since hip surgery sidelined him for most of last year. He's taking on young standout Alexander Dolgopolov, who's lost early in both Halle and Eastbourne, so Gonzo's has a chance to work his way back into the mix.

But the most-watched match in this quarter should be the repeat of John Isner versus Nicolas Mahut. Isner was my original pick to win this whole deal, but that was before I thought this would ever happen. In any case, if he can stay mentally strong enough to get the win -- and, more importantly, do so in fewer than five sets -- it would do wonders for his confidence the rest of the tournament. And year.

The late-round match-to-watch: Federer is set to meet fellow veteran David Nalbandian in the third round. The two have a fairly close history, but the momentum has clearly been in Fed's favor more recently. I'd like to see a battle between these two -- you know they've got it in them.

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Fourth Quarter

Andy Murray is in the same half of the draw as Nadal, but the way he's playing recently, he shouldn't be intimidated -- especially by his opening opponent Daniel Gimeno-Traver. That's not to say the Spaniard won't pose any problems for the Queen's Club winner, but his game is much more suited to clay, and so the on-paper favorite should be able to make good.

More interesting is the pairing of countrymen Marin Cilic and unseeded Ivan Ljubicic. Both are well off their career high rankings, but have the potential to deliver big on the grass. And though Cilic has disappointed me in recent months, a nice run at Queen's makes me think he has at least this win in him.

One more Croat could cause a stir a bit further down the draw. Ivo Karlovic, the man who can ace, but barely breaks, meets Janko Tipsarevic, who'll play his Eastbourne semi on Saturday, in the first round. Tipsy is the seed here, and certainly has moments of brilliance -- but if Dr. Ivo can hold it together, he could make a move.

The late-round match-to-watch: The top seeded American in the draw, Andy Roddick, is usually at his best at the All England Club, and though he hasn't won a lot recently, he should be more comfortable here. But he could meet Gael Monfils in the fourth round, and the Frenchman has been playing surprisingly well in recent weeks. Hopefully Roddick will be able to turn around his recent slump.

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The Women

First Quarter

All eyes will be on world #1 Caroline Wozniacki, who's playing her fourth Slam as a top seed without having won a title. She's never made it past the fourth round here and didn't play a warm-up tournament on grass, so she certainly hasn't been tested yet. But against Arantxa Parra Santonja in the first round, she should make good on her ranking at least for a little while.

Nothing early in this quarter really stands out, but I'd love to see a good battle between 2004 champion Maria Sharapova and former top-five player Anna Chakvetadze. After finally gaining some traction last year, Anna has retired from three straight tournaments this year. But when she's playing well, she can be dangerous, and I'll continue rooting for her return to the elite.

Much lower on the radar, young Swede Johanna Larsson will take on my 2010 one-to-watch Polona Hercog. She's beaten Daniela Hantuchova, Ana Ivanovic and Li Na already this year, so she's certainly capable of making a statement. And in this quarter, she has more than a good chance to do so.

The late-round match-to-watch: Julia Goerges and Dominika Cibulkova are slated to meet in the third round. They've never played each other before, but are both little dynamos when they're healthy. And perhaps more interestingly, the inner could face Caro in the next round, which would just be fun all around.

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Second Quarter

Vera Zvonareva had the best results of her career last year, and has been rewarded with a #2 seed here in exchange. She has a lot of points to defend, but a huge win over Serena Williams in Eastbourne gives me confidence she won't just fade away this year. And with some relatively easy early rounds, luck may also be on her side.

Former #1 Jelena Jankovic may not be so lucky. In her kick-off match, she faces unseeded Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, the woman who beat her in last year's Rome final. They've never met on grass, but the Spaniard holds a two-to-one career record over JJ, and could send her packing early if she's not careful. And Roberta Vinci, suddenly playing some very consistent ball, could make an impact too -- if her long week in 's-Hertogenbosch doesn't affect her first round against Vera Dushevina.

The late-round match-to-watch: If the seeds play out as expected, Petra Kvitova, who first made a mark on Tour at the All England Club last year, will face Svetlana Kuznetsova for the final. Though the Russian is clearly the more experienced of the two, Kvitova has found a way to beat some of the biggest names on the circuit all year. It should be a good match and may be rather prescient for what the future of tennis will look like.

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Third Quarter

Li Na, fresh off her miraculous French Open win, has really improved an already-good game in the last six weeks. And now the pressure will be on. But some of the more interesting first rounds lie elsewhere in this quarter.

Defending champion Serena Williams, to the relief of many, is seeded eighth at Wimbledon, and so won't be a threat to most true contenders until later in the event. But her opening opponent, Aravane Rezai, who put together an amazing semifinal against the former #1 last year in Sydney, might be a little bummed at her bad luck. Still, we've seen Serena hasn't quite worked out all her kinks yet, and so Rezai could find some holes in the armor.

And Ana Ivanovic, who looked solid in the warm-up tournaments the last two weeks, drew one-time darling Melanie Oudin. She's won the pair's only previous meeting -- when the American was on the upswing -- but now that Oudin is an underdog again, perhaps she can surprise us. It'll be important for Ana to keep her cool, though, as she can't afford another disappointment just as she's regaining momentum.

The late-round match-to-watch: More than a few upsets would have to happen, but I would love to see Aggie Radwanska meet Marion Bartoli in the quarters. The Frenchwoman was a finalist here back in 2007 and she's been impressive in the big tournaments this year, while Aggie is one of those consistent players who really needs a breakthrough Slam. Maybe this is it.

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Fourth Quarter

Victoria Azarenka was playing well in Eastbourne, before a leg injury forced her to retire. Again. But she stayed strong through five rounds in Paris after pulling out of , which encourages me somewhat. Hopefully she'll be in shape to take care of Rome Magdalena Rybarikova in her first round, or a whole other set of questions will start swirling around her.

Francesca Schiavone is another headliner in this section, but she might have drawn an even tougher first round. 's-Hertogenbosch finalist Jelena Dokic once made the semis at the All England Club and has scored wins here over legends like Martina Hingis and Mary Pierce. That was a long time ago, but after winning her first Tour title this year since 2002, she's certainly still in the game.

In a slightly lower-profile pairing Kaia Kanepi, who blasted her way to the quarters last year as a qualifier, will face always-feisty Sara Errani in her opener. Though she's now a shade off a career-high ranking, she hasn't been quite so solid this year, and if the Italian can take advantage, she might very well cause the upset.

The late-round match-to-watch: Andrea Petkovic and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova are both young and rising stars near the top of their games. Though they'd again each have to exact a couple upsets, it's very possible they meet for a spot in the semis. And it sure will be fun to watch.

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In a land which has been so dominated by a select few in recent years, the 2011 draws at Wimbledon do suggest we could see more than a few surprises. And with so much on the line for everybody who takes the courts, it's imperative that they all bring their best.

But this has been the stage for some of the best matches we've seen. And I'm sure they'll all live up to expectations.

Be sure to check back Sunday when I blogcast my full preview of the action at the All England Club and highlight a few more things you'll want to watch at the year's most royal Grand Slam.

Ladies-in-Waiting

The women's field is stacked in Eastbourne this year, with several of the sport's top players -- and a few more former #1s -- all in action just a week before Wimbledon. Somewhat surprisingly, though, there is only one among the remaining field who's won a Major before. But three others have played in a Slam final and the rest have proven they're true contenders for a title.

And that means any of them could get take a real step here towards becoming tennis royalty.

Venus Williams is clearly the most experienced of the bunch, with five of her seven big trophies coming at the All England Club. She made a successful post-injury return in Eastbourne by exacting revenge on Andrea Petkovic, who'd benefitted from her retirement back in Melbourne, and backed it up with a straight-set win over Birmingham semifinalist Ana Ivanovic. Her opponent in the quarters will be Daniela Hantuchova, who's belied her reputation for spotty play the last few weeks. The Slovak took top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki out of the French Open and made a solid run past Ivanovic last week. Dani and Venus put on one of my favorite matches of 2010, and though Williams is clearly the on-paper favorite, something tells me Hantuchova is slightly more sure-footed these days. And I'd love for her to pull off the "upset".

Last year's surprise runner-up at Wimbledon had her own shot at revenge this morning. Vera Zvonareva got a first-class drubbing at the hands of Serena Williams in the 2010 final, but turned the tables this time around. In a three-plus hour slugfest, the world #3 fired off an impressive six aces, found the mark on more than seventy-percent of her first serves, and came back from a set down to get the win. Hopefully she won't be too tired when she meets one-time French finalist Sam Stosur on Thursday. The Australian has dominated their meetings in the last four years, but if Vera's in form, this could be one of the best matches tomorrow.

Victoria Azarenka has been one of my favorites for a Major breakthrough for quite some time, but it wasn't until Paris this year when she finally showed the consistent spark I've been waiting for. She's played well so far in Eastbourne, but bigger challenges clearly lie ahead. Next she'll face 2007 Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli, who's also been raising her game this year. The Frenchwoman survived a tough first round against Copenhagen runner-up Lucie Safarova, but then glided to a relatively easy win on Wednesday. Vika hasn't lost to Bartoli in their previous six meetings, so she should go into this match with momentum and confidence on her side -- but the two should be able to put on a show.

In the least experienced quarter of the Eastbourne draw, we find two relative sleepers ready to make their move. Aggie Radwanska has been a consistent performer at Wimbledon, but has never had a real breakthrough at a Major. Unseeded this week, she stormed past a tough Jarmila Gajdosova and then defeated last year's Roland Garros champion Francesca Schiavone in her second round. Her next opponent, Petra Kvitova, made the semis in London last year while ranked #62 in the world -- now in the top ten, she's making a mission out of beating the sport's top players. The Czech has won her only other match against Radwanska, and is the favorite this time, too. But bigger surprises have been known to happen.

Of course, there's always a risk playing deep into a tournament just before the start of a Slam, but if any of these ladies carry their momentum with them to the All England Club, they could make a real play for that title too. And with the possibility of that maiden crown growing so much clearer, they have the incentive to bring their best.

After all, it sure looks like the throne is up for grabs!

In Opposite Corners

It's a crazy calendar professional tennis players endure.

With just two weeks between the French Open and Wimbledon, most players were eager to make the quick switch to grass courts and get whatever practice they could before the year's next Grand Slam. But others, for better or worse, skipped right past the lawn season and went straight to the hard courts. We'll see who got the better deal.

In Copenhagen, where the eBoks Sony Ericsson Open was contested several months earlier than it had been last year, players may have gotten some prep for New York rather than London, which might explain why reigning champion Caroline Wozniacki was the only top thirty player entered in the draw. Still she got through her matches without dropping a set on the way to the finals -- her seventh of the year.

There she met Lucie Safarova, one of my perennials favorites who can never seem to gain enough traction to make the jump into the highest levels of the sport. The Czech survived four straight three-set matches in Denmark, and might have been slightly exhausted by the time she reached Sunday's final. She won just four points on the world #1's serve in the first set, and got down on the count in just over twenty minutes. She put up a slightly better fight in the second set, but Wozniacki was just too much for her. After just over an hour of play, the hometown hero had gotten the win and reiterated her position at the top of the sport.



But did she get the preparation she needed? Over in Birmingham the ladies were put to the test on grass, and though a rain-soaked Sunday kept the ultimate winner from being determined yet, the two ladies who are going for the title have so far proven to have made the adjustment to the slicker lawn.

Fourth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova is fresh off a solid French Open, having dealt Caro a tough third round loss and putting up quite a fight against 2009 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova a few days later. But the Slovak, a quarterfinalist at Wimbledon way back in 2002, reminded us she shouldn't be discounted on this surface either. She dropped a handful of games in her first three rounds and stayed study after losing a first set tiebreak to Ana Ivanovic in the semis. She didn't drop serve again that match, and truly earned her second final of the year.

There she'll face former world #22 Sabine Lisicki, a surprise quarterfinalist at the All England Club two years ago. She lost a bit of ground last year when an ankle injury kept her out of contention for the better part of 2010. But she's shown signs of brilliance this year, nearly taking out Vera Zvonareva in Paris as a qualifier and battling past three seeds this week in Birmingham. Now certain of breaking well back into the double-digits rankings, she finally seems to in the shape to do real damage at the Majors.



We might not yet know whether Hantuchova and Lisicki's early statements on the lawn have served as proper warm-ups for Wimbledon, or if Wozniacki's seventeenth career title gives her the confidence she needs to finally make her Slam splash. They've all certainly made different arguments for their own cases. And which, if any, will ultimately prevail is still an open question.

But the title bout is about to begin

On Familiar Ground

The clay court season is officially over for 2011, and this week players -- against their will or not -- have been pushed onto the much slicker, much faster courts of grass. And while some may be a bit apprehensive making the switch, a couple others who've been less than prominent recently, should find the change of pace refreshing.

Last year's surprise finalist at Wimbledon Tomas Berdych will try to make up for a dismal showing at Roland Garros. He'd finally begun gaining some traction late in the spring, making the quarterfinals in Madrid and Rome and the semis in Nice. But squandering a two-set lead to Stephane Robert in his Paris opener could have stopped him cold.

So far he's made good on his #2 seeding in Halle. After dropping his first set to Ruben Bemelmans, he stayed tough against Jan Henrych on Wednesday to reach the final eight. Of course there's no rest from here -- world #12 Viktor Troicki, at his highest career ranking, will be next on his plate, and he's clearly no pushover. The two have split their previous two meetings, both on hardcourts, so Berdych will need to pounce early if he's going to make a statement.

Defending Halle champion Lleyton Hewitt doesn't get the luxury of a seed in Germany this year and has been absent from Tour since Indian Wells. But the 2002 Wimbledon titleist should take comfort in his eighty-plus percent win recordhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif on this surface -- easily his best.

He had his way cleared for him somewhat this week -- originally slated to open against Roger Federer in a rematch of last year's final, he instead barreled through lucky loser Leonardo Mayer when the French Open runner-up pulled out of the event. The Australian has a second round date with world #51 Andreas Seppi, actually ranked higher than him. It won't be easy, but Hewitt's experience should help him make it through the day.

Over at Queen's Club, three time Wimbledon finalist Andy Roddick is playing his first match since Rome, where he sustained a shoulder injury before the doubles championship. The last American man to have a legitimate shot at a Grand Slam title, he should feel more at home on the courts where he's already won four trophies.

To kick off his week in London, Roddick faced a feisty Feliciano Lopez to start. After two sets with no breaks, he finally took control in the third, winning more than eighty percent of his first serves and holding his opponent to just a quarter of his return points. He was similarly impressive against big-serving Kevin Anderson earlier today, withstanding thirteen aces from his opponent and winning the match in straight sets.

Roddick might have had a much tougher road forward, as he probably should have met '02 Wimbledon runner-up David Nalbandian in the third round. The ninth seed at Queen's had been working his way back into the elite, but after enduring leg surgery in March he might not have been quite up to snuff yet.

The Argentine got through his early matches easily, dropping serve only once through the first two matches, but ran into an unusually strong Fernando Verdasco on Thursday. Though the Spaniard had won their previous two meetings and is the higher ranked player, I would have given the edge to Nalbandian, the more successful lawn tennis athlete. Instead, the struggling Verdasco got the better of the veteran, earning the right to meet Roddick in the next round.

So far the change in surface seems to suit the players who're so used to winning on grass. And with the next Grand Slam less than two weeks away, it's encouraging to see them having success so early.

And if they keep it up, I wouldn't be surprised to see any of them make a deep run at the All England Club.

The Good Ol' Days

It's kind of been a weird year for Rafael Nadal -- and tennis, in general.

Despite the fact that, even before the French Open began, he was the reigning champion at three Grand Slams and had played six straight final matches, he was dangerously close to losing his spot at the top of the tennis rankings, one he has held now for fifty-three consecutive weeks. It isn't completely secure for much longer -- even though Novak Djokovic's amazing run, one which, for a time, called into question Nadal's dominance on the dirt, came to an end in the Roland Garros semis, as of Monday's tally he's just forty-five ranking points behind Rafa.

But one more time at least, we were treated to the consummate match-up that's been the highlight of tennis courts for the better part of the last decade.

Prior to yesterday's final Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer had met each other twenty-four times -- eight of those at Majors, and seven with championships on the line. The Spaniard had ruled those meetings, leading Roger 6-2 overall, 4-0 on clay. But they hadn't met at a Slam since Australia 2009, and as others began creeping in as more-than-legitimate contenders for the big titles, I began to feel that the possibility of another Rafa/Roger battle was growing slimmer and slimmer.

So I was appreciably excited when the French Open championship came down to these two heavyweights. Nadal, the defender going after a record-tying sixth crown in Paris, had been tested early, getting down two sets to one against John Isner in his opening match, and was pushed by Casablanca winner Pablo Andujar a few days later. Roger had sailed through his early rounds without dropping a set, and was ultimately -- and so appropriately -- the man to end Novak Djokovic's historic streak on Friday. It was his first Grand Slam final since he won in Melbourne last year.

And happily the legends did not disappoint.

Roger broke Nadal in the second game of the match and ran off to a 5-2 lead with set points. He tried to serve out the set a game later, but Rafa produced the spectacular shot-making that's helped him win this event five times. As Federer's serve began to falter, the twenty-five year old rattled off one game after another and built up a set-and-break lead. After a short rain delay, he eventually took the hour-plus set in a tiebreak and built up another lead in the third. But this time it was the Swiss's turn to shine -- seemingly down-and-out, Federer's improved serve and soft drop shots all found their marks, and he was able to push the match to a fourth set.

It was quick work from there, though. Nadal saved three straight break points in the first game of the fourth set, and seemed to be a changed man. He held his opponent to just fifty percent on his first serve, broke him in the fourth game and then once more for good measure, and after over three and a half hours, Rafael Nadal was once again holding the Roland Garros trophy.



The win solidified Nadal as the King of Clay -- his record at this event now stands at a staggering 45-1 -- but more importantly reminded us of just how great things were not that long ago. It seems inevitable Djokovic will catch up to Rafa in the next few months and break the stranglehold he and Federer have had on the top spot in the sport for over seven years. But for now, we can take comfort in the familiarity of having watched those two phenomenal players present their best stuff for us one more time.

Will they do it again? Who knows. But it sure will be fun watching them try.

Better With Age

For a professional tennis player, at least for the ladies, it used to be that your golden years came before the age of twenty.

Chris Evert won her first Grand Slam at the ripe old age of nineteen. Tracy Austin was seventeen. Then Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, the Williams sisters, Maria Sharapova all added to the record books as they set the champion's age bar lower and lower.

But it's no big revelation that the game has changed since then. As women became stronger and the game got faster, it became harder for the youngsters to handle the big strokes of the veterans -- the last teen to win a Major was Sharapova in 2006 and the last six Slams have had both finalists over the age of twenty-five.

So maybe we shouldn't be surprised that the two ladies who played the French Open final on Saturday have a combined age of sixty years and almost three months. But unlike some of the veterans who've been playing and winning for the better part of the last decade, Francesca Schiavone and Li Na have practically just emerged on the tennis scene and are really playing the best ball at what used to be considered their twilight years.

The defending champion has been around the game for over a dozen years, but just won her first title the week of her twenty-seventh birthday -- a smallish tournament in Bad Gastein where she was the top seed at #31 in the world. Last year was the only multi-trophy year of Schiavone's career, as she won the championship in Barcelona just before her breakthrough in Paris. She hasn't made a final since then, but with a win over former #1 Jelena Jankovic and a stunning comeback against the youngest player in the top fifty, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, she was certainly getting her footing back on the terre battue.

Her opponent Saturday was similarly inexperienced in the title rounds. Having played her first Grand Slam final just four months ago in Australia at the age of twenty-eight, Li Na was another journeywoman on Tour. She'd won a tournament here and there, one in her native China in 2004, but the real coups came last year when she stunned Venus Williams in Melbourne and rocketed through Maria Sharapova in the Birmingham finals. She backed it all up when she rebounded from 0-5 down to Kim Clijsters in the Sydney championships and pulled out that win. Though she went a long stretch in the spring without winning a match, in Paris she notched three consecutive wins over players who'd had stunning clay court seasons.

So after decades on the circuit these two had certainly earned the right to play for this Major crown. It was just the second title match each had contested, and neither had been considered a favorite to get here. But as the match progressed you could see the fight in both of them. Li had a break chance in the first game, and converted four games later to secure the first set. She kicked off the second by winning two straight games, but was a persistent Schiavone drew even and nearly turned the momentum entirely in her favor. But Li stayed calm -- something she had not been able to do in Melbourne -- and took control of the tiebreak with some of the most impressive tennis I've seen. In less than two hours, she'd become the French Open champion and the first Asian to ever win a Major singles title.



You might worry that these players may be peaking too late in their careers -- with so much young talent out there, surely they won't be able to keep up forever. But both ladies have proven just how tough us older folk can be. Like a fine French wine, they age well. And it makes me optimistic not only about the state of tennis today, but about what it will be for years to come.

Where Dreams Come True

Paris is a magical city, one which can turn the most unlikely commoners into kings and queens. And a quick look at the late-stage draws at this year's French Open serves as the latest proof of just how true that is.

Four very different ladies fought their way to the semifinals on Thursday, some decorated champions, others tested journeywomen. And the ones who emerged victorious may not have been the ones you expected.

Maria Sharapova had established herself as one of the favorites at Roland Garros, thanks to a title in Rome and a reclaimed top-ten ranking. And as the prospect of a career Grand Slam drew nearer, she began playing her most impressive ball.

But surprise Australian Open finalist Na Li was not intimidated by her more experienced opponent. After breaking the big-server early, the top-ranked Chinese woman never lost her control of the match. She got into a small hole to start the second set, but broke again a few games later, converting on the Russian's tenth double fault of the day to ultimately get the win.

It was Li's sixth top-ten win of the year, and possibly her most important. At twenty-nine years of age, she's reached her second straight Grand Slam final -- on two very different surfaces -- something few others would be able to do. And now slightly more accustomed to the pressure of the big stage, she might just be ready to take the next step.

The road won't be easy, however -- in the other half of the draw two others were busy making a case for themselves in Paris.

Hometown standout Marion Bartoli had worked her way to only her second Grand Slam semi with wins over a tough Julia Goerges and 2009 champ Svetlana Kuznetsova. Though injury had forced her to retire from the Strasbourg final just under two weeks ago, she was showing no signs of residual pain and had far surpassed her previous best showing at Roland Garros.

But defending winner Francesca Schiavone had other plans. The woman who was barely discussed as a threat to reclaim her crown defeated former world #1 Jelena Jankovic in the fourth round and came back from a set-and-break down to beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to return to the final four. After a close start against Bartoli, she secured a late break and took the first set in forty minutes, and she overcame a 0-2 deficit and won the second in another fifty.

And so Schiavone, never expected to win a Major title, is suddenly in a really good position to win another. She last met Li in the third round here last year, but they've split their four prior meetings. Whether it's the Chinese winning her first Slam -- and the first for her country -- on Saturday, or the thirty-year old pulling off the most unlikely repeat, someone is certainly going to have her greatest wish granted.

The men will contest their semifinal matches tomorrow, and for the first time since 2006 all four top seeds have made good on their positions. And though there is a bit more experience present in this draw, there is nonetheless a new excitement in the air.

Defending champion Rafael Nadal survived some early round scares and has since not dropped a set. He'll meet first-time Roland Garros semifinalist Andy Murray for a place in his sixth French Open final, and this match promises to deliver on the drama.

Never much of a force on clay the Scot really has turned his record around this year. He nearly ended Novak Djokovic's win streak in Rome and found a way to battle back from two sets down against Viktor Troicki -- on a bad ankle. He's never won a set off Rafa on the surface, but his resolve makes me slightly nervous. Still, he hasn't had much of a challenge this fortnight, and if Nadal brings the momentum he gained from his win over Robin Soderling in the semis, I see him making another return to this championship match.



The more interesting match, though, may be one that holds greater implications than just another Grand Slam title. Novak Djokovic will take on Roger Federer for the third Major in a row -- and a win would grant him the #1 world ranking. Already having won forty-one matches and seven titles this year, it seems a formality to officially take over the ranking, but one that has certainly been well earned and would change the landscape of men's tennis significantly.

Of course, the top spot isn't his yet, and Federer, incidentally the last man Nole lost too more than six months ago, is no pushover. After that epic match at last year's U.S. Open, he rebounded to beat Djokovic in Shanghai, Basel and London. And having progressed through the draw without dropping a set and winning no less than seventy-seven percent of his first serves, he could be the ultimate sleeper in a field of big-hitters.



For the first time in a long time, there are huge implications in this year's men's semifinal matches. I'm not sure who I want to see make the finals or win, for that matter. But I am sure that whoever gets there will have earned it.