The Female Contenders for 2011 Australian Open | Thebigtip

Well, it’s that time of year again, it’s the beginning of the 3rd week of January, time for another edition of the Australian Open!

In the womens draw, the title is really up for grabs and is as wide open as I’ve ever seen it.  With the withdrawal of Serena Williams, there is no one outright favourite for the title in my view with any of the current top players are capable of winning the tournament.  This is due to the fact that there have been many injuries and loss of form of many of the top players over the last 12 months, plus the current number 1 player has yet to win a Grand Slam title.  The medium paced high bouncing plexicushion surface also gives a level playing field to all of the current players.

Therefore, as ever, it’s an opportunity for an outsider to excel and get really far, possibly a final place. 

Let’s have a look at who I think the contenders could be this year:

Caroline Wozniacki

Currently ranked World Number 1, Wozniacki has so far been unable to deliver a Grand slam title.  Wozniacki also does not have a great pedigree so far at the Australian Open but that shouldn’t mean too much at this stage as she’s very young and hasn’t played the tournament too many times.  In the past, certainly some players had a feel for rebound ace more than others, but now with the plexicushion surface and the possibility of playing at night or indoors more often, its relatively easier for the number 1 player to go far in the tournament.

Wozniacki has no major weapons but does everything well, and her serve is improving and her best shot is probably her backhand.  But I think that’s part of the problem. Wozniacki is now attempting to play a more aggressive game but likes to wait and see what happens as opposed to forcing the action.  That style of play doesn’t deliver grand slam tournaments too often, so Wozniacki will have to up her game considerably if she wants to win this tournament and justify her number 1 ranking.

Vera Zvonareva

Zvonareva had an exceptional year in 2010 by getting to two Grand Slam finals and reaching number 2 in the world rankings. Zvonareva was also able to manage her emotions better than in the past and that has helped her game, which by the way is a very good game. She possesses great athleticism and movement plus a good first serve and ground strokes which, while not the paciest, always has good depth. Zvonareva also possesses a very good transition game to the net which served her well during the 2010 Wimbledon championships.

Therefore the question for Zvonareva is, does she have the belief to beat a player of the calibre of Kim Clijsters or Venus Williams in a grand slam final?  She certainly has the game to do it and the court craft, but mental stamina is also an important part of winning a Grand Slam tournament. Zvonareva is definitely a contender though.

Venus Williams

Venus reached the semifinal of the Australian Open in 2001 and the final in 2003 but hasn’t done too well since then.  That’s quite surprising considering Venus has done so well in other tournaments around the world and has many hard court titles to her name. I’m not sure if I could put it down to the rebound ace not suiting her style of play; but that shouldn’t be an issue now with the plexicushion surface and Wilson balls.

Of course, Venus is always a contender but probably not a favourite as she is vulnerable to defeats by opponents who take the game to her. And on a technical level, Venus’ serve, despite being the fastest, is not as effective on hard courts as it is on grass.  On grass, Venus’ serve tends to skid, plus she loves to serve into the body with a bit of slice.  On other surfaces, the players seem to have a bit more time and the ball sits up more, so her game is just not as effective.

I would make Venus a contender but not a favourite for the title

Justine Henin

Henin has won the tournament in 2004, defeating Kim Clijsters in 3 sets, and she got to the final in 2006 before losing to Amelie Mauresmo (retiring in fact).  Henin also lost the final last year on her comeback to Serena Williams in 3 exciting sets.

Despite Henin’s very good record at the Australian Open, I would be loathed to make her a favourite due to the fact the she has been out of action since July 2010 with an injured elbow which needed an operation.  Henin would probably need a few more tournaments to find her rhythm and form but of course she has to perform now as there is no time to get more run in her legs.   

However, at the same time, Henin is such a talented and thoughtful player with such determination that she can not be discounted from being a possible winner of this event.