WTA Tour - Fantasy Tennis: Serbia's finest

Eurosport - Fri, 12 Sep 11:38:00 2008

The Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo offers a particularly strong field and an especially gruelling task for Fantasy owners. We hope to offer some guidance with our weekly picks.

TENNIS - Ana Ivanovic et Jelena Jankovic - Roland-Garros 2008 - 0

Each week "In or Out" offers tips on players 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: Ana Ivanovic

The big question in this group is which of the two Serbians to go with? The obvious answer is the red-hot US Open runner-up Jelena Jankovic, as opposed to the recently deposed number one Ivanovic. Having missed the Beijing Games with injury and been stunned in the second round of Flushing Meadows by an unknown qualifier, the 20-year-old Ivanovic is certainly the riskier choice. But it's only a matter of time before the French Open champion rediscovers her form, and what better place to do so then in Tokyo, where she reached the final last year.

Out: Svetlana Kuznetsova

We know this is a slightly cowardly pick, but it would be foolish to advise you to remove Jankovic from your squad if you already have her. Kuznetsova, however, is more than expendable. A world number two as recently as the start of the season, the Russian has significantly dipped in form this year. Her most recent failures came in the first round of the Beijing Games at the hands of home hopeful Na Li, and the third round of the US Open where the former finalist lost to Katarina Srebotnik.

Group B

In: Dinara Safina

The US Open semi-finalist and world number five has been the form player in this group since April. Marat's lil' sis' has reached the final of six of her last eight tournaments. Except for Wimbledon, where the family has generally struggled, the Russian's worst performance since May was the semi-final loss at Flushing Meadows. The Fantasy points reflect the results, as she is the second most successful player in our game this year after fellow Group B member Elena Dementieva, who is another strong pick.

Out: Agnieszka Radwanska

Most of you have caught on that Nicole Vaidisova should not be your pick in this group, so we're going to go with a less safe call for Tokyo. The Polish number one Radwanska has been one of the most consistent players on the WTA Tour this season. But after being unceremoniously eliminated in the second round of the Olympic tournament in Beijing, it's difficult to imagine the 19-year-old performing much better in another outdoor hardcourt tournament in the Far East.

Group C

In: Ai Sugiyama

The Tokyo native had regularly struggled at the top tier Pan Pacific Open prior to reaching the quarter-finals last season. But in past years the tournament was played on indoor carpet, whereas this time it will be held on hardcourts at the Ariake Tennis Park. Sugiyama has an excellent record at the Tennis Park, which normally hosts the Japan Open where Sugiyama has reached three finals and won the title twice.

Out: Alize Cornet

With prize money totalling 144 billion yen (£756,202), it is fair to call the Pan Pacific title one of the top prizes on Tour outside of the Grand Slams. Like her fellow teenager Radwanska, the French number two is making a debut at the highly competitive event. But Cornet's only appearance at a Tier I WTA hardcourt tournament this season resulted in a first-round loss to Tamira Paszek in the equally competitive Miami Open. Recent third-round losses at Beijing and Flushing Meadows do not inspire confidence either.

Group D

In: Casey Dellacqua

The Australian number one has been somewhat of a disappointment this season following a surprising last 16 appearance at Melbourne. But, depending on her draw, we think she could be in line to repeat her fourth round showing at the Tier I hardcourt event at Indian Wells.

Out: Kaia Kanepi

Since her inspired French Open quarter-final run, the Estonian has been one of the most popular choices among Fantasy owners in this group. A 3-5 record since Roland Garros has not justified this status.

Jeremy Stahl / Eurosport

Comment 1 - 6 of 6

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  1. We are the best!Come on girls!Go.'Ajde!

    From Maja, on Sat 13 Sep 4:49PM
  2. :)

    From sv.porfirije, on Fri 12 Sep 8:50PM
  3. go serbia

    From Dusan silni, on Fri 12 Sep 6:39PM
  4. ana n jj ur the most intelligent,gorgeous players on wta.

    From nthk8, on Fri 12 Sep 6:37PM
  5. Jelena Jankovic is the best.GO JJ

    From MB-RADIC DOO, on Fri 12 Sep 1:17PM
  6. ana's defending pointa was taken from her after the australian open so the report is absolutely wrong, players will not lose points here all are earning, go ana, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND HUMBLE in wta.

    From John A, on Fri 12 Sep 11:06AM
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