French Open 2001





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Friday, June 1
 
Bottom half of draw is rife with opportunity

By Pam Shriver
Special to ESPN.com

There are only two seeded players left in this half of the draw -- the talented Belgian teenagers Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin. The opportunity is wide open for someone to really take advantage of it.

Pam's Picks
Pam Shriver
Shriver
Former WTA Tour pro Pam Shriver is providing ESPN.com with in-depth analysis throughout the French Open. Shriver, a tennis analyst for ESPN, reached a high ranking of No. 3 in singles play. She won 21 singles and 112 doubles titles, including 22 Grand Slams.

Kim Clijsters (12), Belgium, vs. Henrieta Nagyova, Slovakia
Nagyova is a good player. Clijsters is the real deal. Her recent play shows that, and she hasn't dropped a set so far in the tournament. I think it helps Clijsters that she's hanging around with this guy Lleyton Hewitt who has his sights set on a lofty position in the game. Obviously it helps even more if it's your boyfriend who is focused on being a quality player. Edge: Clijsters

Petra Mandula, Hungary, vs. Rita Grande, Italy
For players like Mandula this is the biggest match of their career, so it is hard to predict. Especially when you're talking about someone who prefers to play on clay. It comes down to who can produce during the biggest match of their career. Grande has been around long enough to know what it's about at this level. Edge: Too close to call

Lina Krasnoroutskaya, Russia, vs. Silvia Farina Elia, Italy
This is a youngster against a veteran. Krasnoroutskaya is starting to play very well. She's one of a handful of really good Russian players in the top 100 that includes Olympic silver medalist Elena Dementieva and Elena Bovina. Even though Farina Elia is a smart veteran, give Krasnoroutskaya the edge if she is playing well. I had a win over Farina Elia late in my career when my game wasn't strong, so I favor the younger player. Edge: Krasnoroutskaya

Justine Henin (14), Belgium, vs. Barbara Schett, Austria
This is a really good matchup. Sometimes when you have a big upset of a player like Venus Williams it's tough to stay on track. Schett has done a good job at staying focused. Maybe she's getting back in the form she had in the late '90s, when she was a very tough opponent. Henin is always fun to watch because she's one of three or four players with an all-court style. She comes to the net and has a beautiful backhand. Edge: Henin





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