US Open 2006: Women's Quarterfinals Predictions

The 2006 US Open Women's Quarterfinals are now set. Unlike other Grand Slams like Wimbledon and Roland Garros, the USTA schedules their matches of the last 8 players over two days instead of one, thus maximizing the attractiveness of the event over multiple days for those who like to see both men's and women's tennis in the same day.

Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)[1]) vs. Dinara Safina (RUS)[12]. Mauresmo looked shaky early in the tournament but as Tracy Austin remarked last week, the Frenchwoman generally plays better as she gets deeper and deeper into the draw. Safina has snuck through the draw without playing a seeded player. She is occupying the spot that was expected to belong to Martina Hingis. Safina is expected to make a breakthrough at a Grand Slam tournament but 2006 is Mauresmo's year. PREDICTION: Mauresmo in 2 sets.

Maria Sharapova (RUS)[3] vs. Tatiana Golovin (FRA)[27] . These two played a great 3-set match in the 2006 NASDAQ-100 Open in March which ended with a tragic ankle injury to Golovin forcing the Frenchwoman to retire after saving four match points in the second set to force a decisive third. However, that match was more thsn 5 months ago and Sharapova has looked very sharp in all summer long and in all her matches in New York. PREDICTION: Sharapova in 2 sets.

Lindsay Davenport (USA)[10] vs. Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL)[2] This is a re-match of the aborted final of the Pilot Pen championships the weekend before the US Open started that Henin-Hardenne claimed when Davenport retired with an injury down a set and a break. This should be the best of the quarterfinals on the womens side of the draw, although I doubt the quality of the match will reach that of their now legendary 2003 Australian Open qurterfinal (won by the Belgian 9-7 in the final set!). Still, as Lindsay said today after winning a close, high quality match against Patty Schnyder (SUI)[7], "I don't really have anything to lose." If she goes out there and plays risky aggressive tennis, she may just be able to beat the diminutive future Hall of Famer, but I suspect the nagging thoughts of imminent retirement will weaken Davenport's resolve, leading to another classic Grand Slam victory by the Player We Love To Hate. PREDICTION: Henin-Hardenne in 3 sets.

Jelena Jankovic (SCG)[19] vs. Elena Dementieva (RUS)[4] . This match up is also a repeat of a US Open Series final from a few weeks ago, the JP Morgan Chase Open which was won by Dementieva in 3 nail-biting sets. Jankovic took out pre-tournament fave Nicole Vaidisova (CZE)[9] and outlasted 2004 US Open Champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in consecutive rounds. This woman has also beaten both Williams Sisters this summer. Don't hate her because she's not beautiful! I'd really like to call this match for the Serbian but Dementieva just has a way of getting through these matches! She does play well in New York, and I expect she will make her 3rd consecutive US Open semifinal. New Yorkers love a pretty girl, and Dementieva is the most pulchritudinously gifted of the women's final octet. PREDICTION: Dementieva in 3 sets.