French Open 2013: Ladies quarter-finals Preview

We have finally arrived at the first of the quarter-finals day in what has been a cracking French Open so far. Teenagers sweeping the initial stages of the draw, former champions resurrecting themselves and a WTA player hitting the delightful tweener – we have seen it all. We have a glittering assembly of stars in the last eight in Paris as seven of the eight women have either been a Grand Slam champion or have reached a major final. What’s more special is this is the first time since Wimbledon 2003 that all the top five seeds at a Slam have advanced to the quarter-finals. Let us now have a look at the rollicking quarter-final clashes.

Agnieszka Radwanska (4) v Sara Errani (ITA) (5) (Head-to-head: Radwanska leads 6-1)

This is as artistic as it can get. Two women who can come up with exquisite angles, remarkable drop shots and supreme versatility will be contending for a place in the semifinals. With Agnieszka Radwanska around, expect to be surprised. She is a master at disguising her shots and baffling her opponents which makes her a delightful mystery to watch. She had a shoulder injury coming into the French Open and had managed to get just one win on clay this season prior to the second Slam. But the Polish No. 1 succeeded in dispatching an in-form Ana Ivanovic with consummate ease which included a jaw-dropping tweener en route to reaching her French Open quarter-final.

Against Sara Errani, the Italian No. 1 and an accomplished claycourter, it will surely become tougher. Sara’s best surface is the terre battue and she has a final appearance last year at this Slam. With a heavily loaded game, she would be fighting tooth and nail for a spot in the last four once again. But her record against fellow top-10 players continues to be shabby and against Aga, it is no exception. She has lost her last five matches to the Krakow native which will tilt the balance in favour of the Wimbledon runner-up. Perhaps Sara Errani herself puts it in the best way possible as she says, “We call Radwanska ‘the professor’ ’cause she is too good in finding her opponent’s weaknesses.”

Prediction: Radwanska wins in three sets.

Serena Williams (1) v Svetlana Kuznetsova (Head-to-head: Serena leads 6-2)

Unstoppable, imperious – adjectives will fail to describe the enormity of Serena’s success this season, especially on clay. She has come into Roland Garros looking like the invincible queen after sweeping the claycourts of Charleston, Madrid and Rome. Serena is on a 28-match winning streak and is very much adamant to claim her second title on Court Philippe Chatrier. But before that, she has to face someone who has been a champion at Roland Garros and this is what makes this an intriguing quarter-final to watch. What’s more interesting is the last time these two women met in the quarter-finals, Kuznetsova came out on top in a match which remains as one of the most enchanting French Open classics.

Kuznetsova loves the dirt, can move on it with confidence and even though unseeded, Roland Garros has surely brought her a familiar feeling, having tasted victory here four year back. Her win over eighth seed Angelique Kerber totally validated it. The 39-ranked Russian will surely try to move Serena around and try to direct the points with an opportunity to go for her solid forehands. That had worked in 2009 but four years later Serena comes as a better player on clay and with her near flawless serve, she will definitely manoeuvre the match in her own way in the end.

Prediction: Serena wins in three sets.

Maria Kirilenko (12) v Victoria Azarenka (3) (Head-to-head: Azarenka leads 3-2)

Victoria Azarenka, the World No. 3 and the reigning Australian Open champion doesn’t have an illustrious record on clay. The dirt is her worst surface and the French Open remains the only Slam where she has failed to make it past the quarter-finals. But the Belarusian has said she is improving and she definitely means it. In her last match she has certainly proved to be a determined young contender for the title. The opponent was a tough hurdle – 2010 champion Francesca Schiavone, but the way Vika consistently hit her angular forehands with depth, it surely sent a message to her rivals. She even tried to finish points swiftly at the net as and when required, which was refreshing to see.

All that might come handy against her next opponent – her erstwhile doubles partner Maria Kirilenko who is building her own momentum with her first French Open quarter-final appearance. She can mix up her game to disrupt the opponent’s momentum, add her subtle touch at the net and is a master of point construction. Kirilenko has also been showing a lot of courage and resilience as she stormed back from 1-4 down in the first set of her last match to emerge victorious. But her shoulder remains doubtful and Azarenka’s superb consistency will surely help her strike the blow.

Prediction: Azarenka wins in straight sets.

Jelena Jankovic (18) v Maria Sharapova (2) (Head-to-head: Sharapova leads 7-1)

This is a renaissance year for former World No. 1 Jelena Jankovic. The Serb who endured a painful season last year, has been gradually making the amends and clay – one of her most comfortable surfaces – is certainly aiding her. She won her first title this year on the claycourts of Bogota and then followed it up with a Charleston final appearance and a place in Rome quarter-final. The 18th seed is clearly enjoying every moment of her resurgence and is now in Roland Garros quarter-finals for the first time since 2010.

But she now locks horns with a woman who is the reigning champion and is looking more and more confident as she progresses. Their head-to-head might present a staggering seven win out of eight wins for the Russian former World No. 1 but they have never met on clay which should make things exciting. Jankovic has superior movement on the red dirt and can slide incredibly well. She will try to exploit Sharapova’s relatively inferior mobility on the slower surface but the Stuttgart champion’s explosive ground game and her consistency will thwart her attempt for an upset.

Prediction: Sharapova wins in three sets.