Nick's Picks: Bollettieri Previews Wimbledon Women's Field

Tennis Week is partnering with legendary coach and New York native Nick Bollettieri to provide previews and in-depth analysis of Wimbledon, which starts on Sunday. Nick analyzes the top women's seeds today. Look for Nick's Picks of the most exciting Wimbledon matches on a round-by-round basis in the coming days and please visit his web site Nick's Picks.

Ana Ivanovic (SRB)
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight:  152 pounds
Born On:  November 6, 1987
Turned Pro: August 2003
Current Ranking: 1
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2008 Titles: Indian Wells and Roland Garros
2007 Wimbledon: Semifinals
 
Nick’s Thoughts:
Fresh off of her first career Grand Slam title, Ivanovic has got to be the odds-on favorite to win Wimbledon. Pulling off this double is much easier said than done though. She has the game to win here, but believe me the Williams’ sisters, Maria Sharapova, and Jelena Jankovic will have something to say about that. She was humbled in the finals of the 2007 French Open and the 2008 Australian Open, so to win here she needs to stay mentally strong.
 
Jelena Jankovic (SRB)
Height:  5-9
Weight:  130 pounds
Born On:  February 28, 1985
Turned Pro: 2000
Current Ranking: 2
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2008 Titles: Rome
2007 Wimbledon: Round of 16
 
Nick’s Thoughts:
Sports are a game of inches. An inch here or an inch there and things might turn out different. Jankovic still has a couple of inches to go before she becomes a Grand Slam champion. If she would have beaten Ivanovic at the French Open, she would have become my 10th number one ranked player! To get there, she is going to have to become more offensive during the crucial points. She cannot pray and hope that her opponent is going to miss; she must take it to them!!
 
Maria Sharapova (RUS)
Height: 6-2
Weight:  130 pounds
Born On:  April 19, 1987
Turned Pro:  April 2001
Current Ranking: 3
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2008 Titles: Australian Open, Doha, and Amelia Island 
2007 Wimbledon: Round of 16
 
Nick’s Thoughts:
We all know Sharapova can play on the grass, as she is a former champion here (2004). Her relentless attacking style makes her extremely dangerous, and you can bet your bowl of strawberries and cream that she is going to be around late in the second week. Her chances of winning this tournament are very good, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see her back at the top of the rankings at the end of the fortnight.
 
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)
Height:  5-8
Weight:  161 pounds
Born On:  June 27, 1985
Turned Pro:  2000
Current Ranking: 4
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2008 Titles: None
2007 Wimbledon: Quarterfinals
 
Nick’s Thoughts:
It’s hard to believe it, but Kuznetsova hasn’t won a title since August 2007 at New Haven and her opponent, Agnes Szavay, retired in the second set in that match. Despite that, you can always count on seeing Kuznetsova around deep in tournaments. I thought in the semis at the French Open that Kuznetsova had a very good chance of winning that title, but Safina was just too much for her there. Her excellent athletic base makes her extremely tough to beat, but I think she needs to add some variety to her game to have a chance at winning another Grand Slam title. 
 
Elena Dementieva (RUS)
Height:  5-11
Weight:  141 pounds
Born On:  October 15, 1981
Turned Pro: August 1998
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Current Ranking: 7
2008 Titles: Dubai
2007 Wimbledon: 3rd Round
 
Nick’s Thoughts:
Dementieva reached the quarterfinals here back in 2006, which is her best result in nine previous appearances. At this point in her career, her serve is not a huge weakness anymore. Her groundstrokes are excellent, and she is like a brick wall because she gets everything back! Despite being ranked so high, she is often overlooked when it comes to potential titlists. While she has the talent to win, she does lack the big weapon and I feel that in the overall scheme of things that will hurt her chances.
 
Serena Williams (USA)
Height:  5-9
Weight:  150 pounds
Born On: September 26, 1981
Turned Pro: September 1995
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Current Ranking: 5
2008 Titles: Bangalore, Miami, and Charleston
2007 Wimbledon: Quarterfinals
 
Nick’s Thoughts:
Serena has won here twice before (2002, 2003), with her first win coming part of her Serena Slam. Recently, I have noticed that at times Serena looks lost out on the court. She absolutely cannot give her opponents any signal that she is feeling this way during her matches here. She needs to display the confidence that has made her an eight-time Grand Slam champion, and if she does that her chances here are very good.
 
Venus Williams (USA)
Height: 6-1
Weight:  160 pounds
Born On:  June 17, 1980
Turned Pro: October 1994
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Current Ranking: 8
2008 Titles: None
2007 Wimbledon: Champion
 
Nick’s Thoughts:
To put it bluntly, Venus has had a $@!& year. She has a 14-7 record and has yet to win a title or even reach a final. Winning this event last year was a surprise to everyone, and if she is to repeat she better get her act together quickly. For some reason, Venus makes way too many errors on easy shots from the forehand side. She needs to play the percentages, come into the net, and not go for the lines so much. If she does these things, and is able to cut down on her errors, she will be around at the end.
 

Anna Chakvetadze (RUS)Height: 5-7
Weight:  128 pounds
Born On:  March 5, 1987
Turned Pro: 2003
Current Ranking: 6
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2008 Titles: Paris
2007 Wimbledon: 3rd Round
Nick’s Thoughts:
Chakvetadze has yet to really breakthrough at a Grand Slam, especially at Wimbledon. She is coming off a second round loss at the French Open, and so far in 2008 her results have been inconsistent. She can become ill-tempered at times which has a negative effect on her game. She must stay positive throughout the tournament. There are going to be ups and downs, and it is the player that can best negotiate through them that will be standing last.
Dinara Safina (RUS)
Height: 5-11
Weight:  154 pounds
Born On  April 27, 1986
Turned Pro: 2000
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Current Ranking: 9
2008 Titles: None
2007 Wimbledon: 2nd Round
Nick’s Thoughts:
I was very impressed by the way Safina handled herself in the finals at the French Open. She was composed, competed well, and played a very high level of tennis against Ivanovic. With that being said, she is now going to be considered one of the favorites and is going to have to live up to that billing. How will she react now that she is in the top 10? We will have to wait and see.
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK)
Height:  5-11
Weight:  137 pounds
Born On:  April 23, 1983
Turned Pro: May 1999
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Current Ranking: 10
2008 Titles: None
2007 Wimbledon: Round of 16
Nick’s Thoughts:
Hantuchova hasn’t played since Amelia Island due to injuries, which is never a good thing heading into a Grand Slam. Back in 2002 she reached the quarterfinals here, and the last two years she has been to the fourth round. If she is feeling healthy I give her a good shot at reaching the second week, if not she will have a rough time.
Others to Watch
Marion Bartoli (FRA)Height: 5-6
Weight:  128 pounds
Born On: October 2, 1984
Turned Pro: February 2000
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Current Ranking: 11
2008 Titles: None
2007 Wimbledon: Finalist
Nick’s Thoughts:
What a year it has been since Bartoli reached the finals of last year’s Wimbledon. In 2008 she is 8-14, and has lost in the first round at both the Australian Open and French Open. If she does that at Wimbledon her ranking is going to drop like a rock.
Nicole Vaidisova (CZE)
Height:  6-1
Weight:  139 pounds
Born On: April 23, 1989
Turned Pro: 2003
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Current Ranking: 18
2008 Titles: None
2007 Wimbledon: Quarterfinals
Nick’s Thoughts:
Vaidisova’s struggles have been well chronicled in 2008. It looked like she may come out of her slump after she notched a couple of wins at Birmingham, but then she was soundly beaten by Bethanie Mattek in the quarterfinals (6-3, 6-0). Last year she had numerous match points on Ivanovic to get to the semis and she collapsed, if she got back to that point this year then you would have to consider it a success. The talent is there, it is just a matter of her believing in herself and knowing that she can do it.
Maria Kirilenko (RUS)
Height:  5-8
Weight:  127 pounds
Born On:  January 25, 1987
Turned Pro: 2006
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Current Ranking: 19
2008 Titles: Estoril and Barcelona
2007 Wimbledon: 1st Round
Nick’s Thoughts:
Kirilenko has quietly worked her way into the top 20, and has also won two titles this year. She has never had great success at Wimbledon (losing in the 1st round three times in four appearances), but this could be the year she breaks out.
Lindsay Davenport (USA)
Height:  6-2
Weight:  175 pounds
Born On:  June 8, 1976
Turned Pro: 1993
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Current Ranking: 25
2008 Titles: Auckland and Memphis
2007 Wimbledon: Didn’t play
Nick’s Thoughts:
Davenport hasn’t played since the middle of April, but she said at the beginning of the season that she was planning on take the clay-court season off. She had to withdraw from Eastbourne this past week because of a right knee injury, but she says she will be ready to go for Wimbledon. You never know what you are going to get from her at this tournament, but she is still a threat to make a run. 
To read the rest of Nick Bollettieri's Wimbledon analysis, please visit Nick's Tennis Picks.
To view Nick Bollettieri's video interview and tennis tips please visit this
To view the Wimbledon television schedule, please visit this TV Schedule link.
For official Championships news, please visit Wimbledon.org.   
 
 

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Anna Chakvetadze (RUS)
Height: 5-7
Weight:  128 pounds
Born On:  March 5, 1987
Turned Pro: 2003
Current Ranking: 6
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2008 Titles: Paris
2007 Wimbledon: 3rd Round
 
Nick’s Thoughts:
Chakvetadze has yet to really breakthrough at a Grand Slam, especially at Wimbledon. She is coming off a second round loss at the French Open, and so far in 2008 her results have been inconsistent. She can become ill-tempered at times which has a negative effect on her game. She must stay positive throughout the tournament. There are going to be ups and downs, and it is the player that can best negotiate through them that will be standing last.
 
Dinara Safina (RUS)
Height: 5-11
Weight:  154 pounds
Born On  April 27, 1986
Turned Pro: 2000
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Current Ranking: 9
2008 Titles: None
2007 Wimbledon: 2nd Round
 
Nick’s Thoughts:
I was very impressed by the way Safina handled herself in the finals at the French Open. She was composed, competed well, and played a very high level of tennis against Ivanovic. With that being said, she is now going to be considered one of the favorites and is going to have to live up to that billing. How will she react now that she is in the top 10? We will have to wait and see.
 
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK)
Height:  5-11
Weight:  137 pounds
Born On:  April 23, 1983
Turned Pro: May 1999
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Current Ranking: 10
2008 Titles: None
2007 Wimbledon: Round of 16
 
Nick’s Thoughts:
Hantuchova hasn’t played since Amelia Island due to injuries, which is never a good thing heading into a Grand Slam. Back in 2002 she reached the quarterfinals here, and the last two years she has been to the fourth round. If she is feeling healthy I give her a good shot at reaching the second week, if not she will have a rough time.
 
Others to Watch
 
Marion Bartoli (FRA)
Height: 5-6
Weight:  128 pounds
Born On: October 2, 1984
Turned Pro: February 2000
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Current Ranking: 11
2008 Titles: None
2007 Wimbledon: Finalist
 
Nick’s Thoughts:
What a year it has been since Bartoli reached the finals of last year’s Wimbledon. In 2008 she is 8-14, and has lost in the first round at both the Australian Open and French Open. If she does that at Wimbledon her ranking is going to drop like a rock.
 
Nicole Vaidisova (CZE)
Height:  6-1
Weight:  139 pounds
Born On: April 23, 1989
Turned Pro: 2003
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Current Ranking: 18
2008 Titles: None
2007 Wimbledon: Quarterfinals
 
Nick’s Thoughts:
Vaidisova’s struggles have been well chronicled in 2008. It looked like she may come out of her slump after she notched a couple of wins at Birmingham, but then she was soundly beaten by Bethanie Mattek in the quarterfinals (6-3, 6-0). Last year she had numerous match points on Ivanovic to get to the semis and she collapsed, if she got back to that point this year then you would have to consider it a success. The talent is there, it is just a matter of her believing in herself and knowing that she can do it.
 
Maria Kirilenko (RUS)
Height:  5-8
Weight:  127 pounds
Born On:  January 25, 1987
Turned Pro: 2006
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Current Ranking: 19
2008 Titles: Estoril and Barcelona
2007 Wimbledon: 1st Round
 
Nick’s Thoughts:
Kirilenko has quietly worked her way into the top 20, and has also won two titles this year. She has never had great success at Wimbledon (losing in the 1st round three times in four appearances), but this could be the year she breaks out.
 
Lindsay Davenport (USA)
Height:  6-2
Weight:  175 pounds
Born On:  June 8, 1976
Turned Pro: 1993
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Current Ranking: 25
2008 Titles: Auckland and Memphis
2007 Wimbledon: Didn’t play
 
Nick’s Thoughts:
Davenport hasn’t played since the middle of April, but she said at the beginning of the season that she was planning on take the clay-court season off. She had to withdraw from Eastbourne this past week because of a right knee injury, but she says she will be ready to go for Wimbledon. You never know what you are going to get from her at this tournament, but she is still a threat to make a run. 

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