Three Potential Number Ones Plus Upstart Dinara Safina In Semifinals, French Open "Paris Picks"

The French Open - Roland Garros
May 25th-June 8, 2008
Paris, France

Three Potential Number Ones Plus Upstart Dinara Safina In Semifinals: French Open "Paris Picks" - Day 12
By Tripp Mateschitz, Lawn Tennis Correspondent, Posted: Wednesday, June 4, 2008 10:58pm CST USA

Three Potential Number Ones Plus Upstart Dinara Safina In Semifinals, French Open Roland Garros Day 12 Picks

Dinara Safina of Russia

PARIS, France (lawntennismag.com)—With the fourth round defeat of world number one Maria Sharapova of Russia in Paris, a new WTA Tour world number one is ensured when the new rankings are released Monday. Either Serbs Jelena Jankovic or Ana Ivanovic or Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova will claim the top spot based on semifinal and final round results.

Dinara Safina of Russia has won 11 matches in a row.

But if Dinara Safina of Russia can continue her recent sterling play she could very well take the French Open title.

Dinara Safina (RUS)[13] v. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)[4] Dinara Safina Image
Kuznetsova leads this head to head 4-3 and lost only four games in their last three sets. It's tough not to pick Svetlana to win, but she had a flat claycourt warmup season losing in the third round twice while Safina has won eleven matches in a row.

In the course of her win streak, Safina beat recently retired former world number one Justine Henin of Belgium and 2002 French Open champion Serena Williams of the USA. Safina also shocked current world number one Sharapova in the fourth round. If Safina can keep her cool and showcase her newly improved claycourt game and power groundstrokes, there is no reason she will not reach the final.
Winner: Safina

Jelena Jankovic (SRB)[3] v. Ana Ivanovic (SRB)[2]
Serbia's best meet in semifinal number two, but it's a shame Jankovic has been hampered by a sore right forearm because she would need to play her tennis tennis in order to defeat 2007 finalist Ivanovic who leads their head to head 5-1.

Jankovic has not won a match against Ivanovic since 2006, but she enters this match with a 10 match winning streak having taken the title in Rome.

The player which takes the most chances will win. I think Jankovic plays too defensively against Ivanovic and she will lose unless she changes her game.
Winner: Ivanovic