Mauresmo Ready to Take Chance

All the top women looked to be heading for Roland Garros a month or so ago and there were high hopes of a vibrant and enthralling tournament.

This was greatly to be wished after the dismal Australian Open where there were far too few matches of distinction, the notable exception being the semi-final between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.

Now, on the eve of the French Open, those hopes look a little fragile. Serena Williams, the reigning Australian Open champion, pulled out on Friday having proved at the Italian Open, where she lost her opening match, that she was almost totally out of condition. An injury shadow (again) hangs over Belgium's Kim Clijsters and Anastasia Myskina, the reigning champion from Russia, is struggling to cope with a serious illness to her mother, Galina, as well as a shoulder injury.

The fact that Lindsay Davenport of the United States has clung on to the world No1 ranking points starkly to the current mini-crisis of credibility at the top of the women's game.

This state of flux has left Belgium's Justine Henin-Hardenne as the nominal favourite, the former champion - who returned to competition in March after a long lay-off forced by illness and injury - being undefeated on clay this year. But there remains a question mark over her physical and mental stamina.

So could this, finally, be the year of France's Amélie Mauresmo? Ever since she reached her only grand slam final, losing in Melbourne in 1999, the question has been posed in the weeks leading up to the French Open. Rather than lift her the intensity of the home support seems to send her into a downward spiral. There is an argument to say that, should she get beyond the last eight, she might finally believe in herself and go the whole way.