Justine Henin is out, Serena Williams is hoping her being out this year will erase fans' memories of what happened last year...with these two out and about partying somewhere during the US Open, will Kim Clijsters win again?
That will be the tough task for Mama Clijsters because she has never defended a slam before in her career. As mentioned, she retired after winning the Open in 2005 so she never defend it.
The women's draw is so 'everywhere'-if that is the right word to use-that you just don't know who will make it to the end of the second week. Clijsters' hip is questionable, Caroline Wozniacki is playing well of late, Samantha Stosur is nursing her shoulder, Maria Sharapova is coming back slowly, and the rest of the ladies are just all struggling badly this year.
Jelena Jankovic has not played well, Francesca Schiavone is a question mark, and Venus Williams comes into the Open without playing a match since Wimbledon. Countrywoman Melanie Oudin has not had the success she had hoped for since her big run last year at the tournament.
Oudin has the most to lose because if she loses early she will fall off the map and her fairy tale story will cease to exist by next year. Right now, things are a mess for the WTA Tour.
The year started out with a bang with Justine and Serena duking it out and ends with both of them not playing at the US Open. Injuries and bad results mere the status of the women at the Open this year.
It will come down to who can actually keep it together until the second Saturday.