WIMBLEDON 2006: Ladies' Semifinals Predictions

My quarterfinal predictions were correct 4 out of 4 times. The only slight blip was that I thought Dementieva would win a set against Sharapova and she didn't. Here are my predictions with the actual semifinal schedule now set:

Amélie Mauresmo FRA (1) vs. Maria Sharapova RUS (4). Mauresmo is in her fourth Wimbledon semifinal in 5 years. Sharapova is in her 3rd consecutive. Most of those times she lost to a Williams sister (as did everyone else!) although last year she lost to Davenport in a semmifinal she should have won. Sharapova played excellent tennis in her quarterfinal against Dementieva, serving impeccably. I suspect this match will be another thriller and probably the better match of the Ladies' Semifinals. Mauresmo has not done well in close, tight matches before, as her collapse against Vaidisova at the French attests. However, she has an opportunity here to show that she is indeed the #1 player in the World and that winning her first major title has strengthened her mental fortitude.
WHO I THINK WILL WIN: Sharapova (in 3 sets).
WHO I WANT TO WIN: Mauresmo.

Kim Clijsters BEL (2) vs. Justine Henin-Hardenne BEL (3). I think that the win will go to the mentally tougher player in both of these important matches. In that case, the victor would have to be the diminutive Belgian who would again deny her larger compatriot from tasting Grand Slam success. I'm not sure that I believe, like Brad Gilbert does, that losing to JHH in major tournaments is contributing to Clijsters' decision to retire from the game at the end of 2007 at the relatively spry age of 24 (8 June 1983). It's definitely possible. I do think that Kim's a fighter and will really be looking for revenge for her two most recent losses. They have never played at Wimbledon before. If Henin-Hardenne wins that will be three consecutive Grand Slam finals for the year for her, which hasn't been done since Venus and Serena (both!) did it in 2003. If Clijsters wins she will have competed for every major title (Henin-Hardenne has already reached this milestone, she lost theWimbledon final to Venus in 3-sets in 2001.)
WHO I THINK WILL WIN: Henin-Hardenne (in 3 sets).
WHO I WANT TO WIN: Clijsters..