Eurosport - Fri, 02 May 15:03:00 2008
So far this season Justine Henin's results have left fans and fantasy owners exasperated. The claycourt season could not have arrived soon enough for any of them.
As always, we humbly offer our tips on players set to compete in this week's event who could be worth picking with your two weekly transfers, hopefully giving you an edge over your rivals.
Remember you can still join the game and play against your friends, family and colleagues in a mini-League. Click on the link on the right to join up!
Group A
In: Justine Henin
The world number one has had a fine season by most standards, winning titles in Sydney and Antwerp while reaching at least the quarter-finals of every other tournament she's been a part of. But after the absurdly high benchmarks she set in 2007, fantasy owners can be forgiven if they've found the Belgian's year below par thus far. With the arrival of her clay debut at this week's Berlin Open, all will soon be forgotten. Justine's record on clay over the past three years has been a nearly Nadal-esque 55-3. Nuff' said.
Out: Ana Ivanovic
The defending champion in the German capital is the third-most popular player in our Fantasy game and for good reason. Ivanovic has backed up her storming 2007 campaign with a runner-up showing in Melbourne and a title at Indian Wells. But her record in other tournaments has been just 5-4, including a withdrawal from Doha due to injury. The Serbian starlet did well to recover from a virus and lead her nation past rivals Croatia in the Fed Cup last week, but the competition will be a lot stiffer in Berlin where any sign that she is not fully recovered could mean an early exit.
Group B
In: Vera Zvonareva
The Russian number five (world number 13) has had the best start to a season of her career in 2008 having already reached three finals in eight tournaments. Most importantly was her showing on the green clay of Charleston, where Zvonareva beat world number five Jelena Jankovic and number eight Elena Dementieva in succession to reach the last round.
Out: Nicole Vaidisova
The 19-year-old Czech still somehow remains the third-most popular player in this group of our Fantasy Game despite three successive losses. Her decision to dump her step-father coach and start working with Tim Henman's old mentor David Felgate has been widely praised, but we shouldn't expect results too quickly. While Vaidisova could turn her season around at any point, it's unlikely she'll do so on a clay surface where her results have been very mixed over the past couple of years.
Group C
In: Alize Cornet
The French teenager is beginning to shine just in time to offer her nation its annual false hope for the start of Roland Garros. In three claycourt appearances this year the 18-year-old Cornet has reached the final in Acapulco, the semis in Amelia Island, and the last four again in Charleston. Though we don't see her taking this form into the pressure cooker of Paris, it should continue in Berlin.
Out: Caroline Wozniacki
We warned you to take this talented young Dane out of your squad for the claycourt season at Amelia Island and many of you didn't. She went out in the second round in Florida but is still the most popular player in the game.... Why won't you listen?!?!
Group D
With this pick you may be asking yourself Tatia-who-na Who-byinis? We normally would not recommend the Ukrainian journeywoman, but her claycourt form has been the strongest out of this group with three wins at the Tier I and Tier II events in Charleston and Amelia Island.
Out: Casey Dellacqua
The second most popular player and second highest points scorer (208) in this group, the Australian just is not suited for clay. See her first-round exit to Melinda Czink in Amelia Island and second-round loss to Marion Bartoli in Charleston.
Jeremy Stahl / Eurosport