Letting the Sharapova Bandwagon Drive on By

With Serena, Li Na, and now Aggie Radwanska eliminated from competition, most of the pundits are all but conceding the tournament to Maria Sharapova, which is certainly understandable.  She’s a former champion, her nemesis (roadblock, really) in Serena has been inexplicably vanquished, and what looked like an awful draw for her at the beginning of the week has now opened up considerably.  She’s in good form, and if this last match with poor Paula Ormaechea was any indication, she’s on a mission to win her second Roland Garros trophy.

But there are still plenty of players who could give Sharapova trouble along the way, starting with Sam Stosur, her next opponent.  Stosur, she of the jaw-dropping gunboats, has had mixed results following ankle surgery early in 2013, but has recently shown a return to form, and according to Darren Cahill, she’s playing some of the best tennis he’s seen from her in years, perhaps since her U.S. Open triumph in 2011.  She can certainly absorb Sharapova’s pace–in fact, she prefers a slugfest sort of match–so it’ll be the first real test for Sharapova.

Garbine Muguruza has shown that she is not intimidated by the big names in the sport and that she has the game to present problems for anyone out there, and she stands as a possible quarterfinal opponent should Sharapova make it past Stosur.  Then either Bouchard (with her continued breakout year) or Angelique Kerber (who admittedly isn’t at her best on clay) stands as a possible semifinal opponent.

The big question is who will come out of the bottom half of the draw, as most of the more experienced players are now congregated there.  Former FO champion Ana Ivanovic is still alive and playing with renewed focus, as is the relentless Jelena Jankovic, and Simona “The Halepino” Halep continues to raise the level of her play and seems ready to get to the next level at a Slam.  Feisty Sarra Errani is always dangerous on clay, and who knows if Sloane Stephens finds a little more focus, too, as she progresses through the tournament.  And then perhaps most interestingly, former champion and veteran Kuzny lurks as well, and could well get through Kvitova and cause problems for anyone she comes across.  In fact, if wagering on tennis were legal where I reside (it’s not), I’d put down a buck or two on the wily Russian to do some real damage over the next week plus.

All of this is to say that yes, there have been a lot of surprises so far on the women’s side, and when Serena loses at any point in any Slam, it always suddenly seems like there’s no one left, and that someone like Sharapova or Azarenka all but have the trophy in hand.  ‘Tis not the case.  Too many good players still alive, despite the early exits.  Is Sharapova the favorite now?  Sure.  Should she win?  Who’s to say.  Is it a cakewalk from here on out?  Not even close.