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The crowning of another major champion

© Michael Cecilio

Despite the notable absences of top 10 players Lindsay Davenport and Jelena Dokic from the Australian Open field, the premier Grand Slam event of the season is shaping up to be very interesting in prospect. The direction women’s tennis has been taking is one which has seen an increase in popularity through the better depth and better competition at the top of the game and the differing styles and personalities of the protagonists, on and off the court. All these factors will be on display in the coming weeks at Melbourne Park.

Naturally, the talk in tennis circles is of who will be crowned the Australian Open champion of 2002? Many will look to the top five seeds in the draw, but more importantly towards the top two in Jennifer Capriati, who will return to the site of her first major triumph as the top seed and as the world #1, and Venus Williams, the second seed and arguably the best player on the women’s circuit today. The two won all the majors last year between them, will one of them emerge the victor at the first major of 2002?

Had someone wagered their money at this time last year that Capriati would be the world #1 and a dual Grand Slam titlist at this current point in time, that person would have been mighty mighty rich. Coming back as the top seed and defending champion, the weight of expectation will be fully on her now. It was one thing to win the title as a dark horse. It is another to play as the hunted one. Having been ousted in her first WTA match of the season in Sydney by Alexandra Stevenson, the signs are ominous for a Capriati repeat in Melbourne. However, Capriati has made willpower, determination and tenacity her trademarks for the better part of last season and has been able to turn up her game when she has needed to most. But will the pressure as the “one to beat” do her in? Can the hip flexor injury she sustained in Sydney hold up for the gruelling fortnight?

Venus Williams is on most people’s minds as the prospective Australian Open champion. Having won 4 of the last 6 majors, including the last two, Venus looks set to dominate the tour – no one on the tour has her combination of sheer power, speed, variety, athleticism, determination and mental strength. Sporadic play seems to be the only thing keeping her from outright domination, although Venus is in the position to attain the #1 ranking after the Australian Open for the first time in her career. She won the Gold Coast tune up in dominating style and has thus won her last four tournaments – what can stop her? Venus seems to have the mental and physical weapons to chalk up with the win in the most pressure packed of situations and it will take a great deal in my opinion to take this woman out of contention in the Open.