Williams sisters still cast longest shadow

Women's Singles PreviewThere are a number of scenarios unfolding. Venus Williams has returned from her retreat in the US having considered just how far her game had gone off the Grand Slam boil and how she can retrieve it. Kim Clijsters, before the French Open final reputedly the stronger of the two leading Belgians, is figuring how her more neatly packaged compatriot Justine Henin-Hardenne overtook her so spectacularly.

Henin-Hardenne, the French Open champion, will arrive with Serena Williams's words of "liar" and "fabricator" still ringing in her ears, while the younger Williams sister will go to Wimbledon having left Paris like a leper driven out of the colony. Her au revoir was a chorus of catcalls and booing.

Not since Martina Hingis was reduced to tears when she crossed the net to question a line call against Steffi Graf in the 1999 French Open final has a player drawn such a vitriolic reaction from a French crowd.

There are other tales unfolding, not least of all Daniela Hantuchova's alarming weight-loss, which has forced her to deny any problem exists. While many would see it as a personal health issue, in tennis it is also a public relations worry. Nonetheless, as her physique diminishes, her denials become louder.

Another European, Amelie Mauresmo, who was hoping to provide evidence to back up French assertions that inside her muscular body is not a fragile mind, has pulled out. Mauresmo, who reached the semi-finals last year, was struggling with an injury, which prevented her from serving to the best of her ability.

Lindsay Davenport is injured, as is Monica Seles, two players who would expect a run into the second week and farther, while the other one of their generation who is still a contender, Jennifer Capriati, has negotiated all her personal hurdles years ago. But Capriati's position as a Grand Slam winner was undermined in Paris in the same way as Venus Williams's. Both Americans were beaten by unmapped Russians, Capriati by Nadia Petrova and Williams by Vera Zvonareva.

Still, the Williams sisters are sure to cast the largest shadow despite the fact Henin-Hardenne shattered their hegemony and it appears to be in Serena's character to want to punish rather than ameliorate.

Henin-Hardenne will be asked to account for ending the world number one's Grand Slam winning streak of 33 matches and four titles and any hopes of emulating Graf, Margaret Court and Martina Navratilova, who won six consecutive Grand Slams. More critically, Williams will remember the manner in which she departed as much as the ending of that run.

"I was a little disappointed with her," said Williams before leaving Paris, referring to an incident when Henin-Hardenne put up her hand quite late to halt a Williams serve, which finished in the net but was counted as a first serve because the umpire had not seen the Belgian raise her hand. The incident took Williams to a hissy fit.

"I think to start lying, fabricating isn't fair. I understand people want to win these days but . . . " she said.

Williams was clearly hurt by the defeat, as it is unlikely, even with her talent, she could hold together another sequence of consecutive wins in Paris, London, Melbourne and New York. But marrying defiance with emotion, while she cracked a little, the number one steadfastly refused to buckle.

"It's a little difficult. All my life I've had to fight. So it's just another fight. I'm going to have to learn how to win. That's all."

Clijsters, too, felt in Paris a title shot passed her by a mite too easily. The 20 year old hit just two winners in the first set of the final, a backhand and a point at the net. The computer told us she played just 10 winners in the entire match, five from the forehand, one backhand, one drop shot and three net points.

While Henin-Hardenne was obviously finding points on the court just centimetres inside the baseline, Clijsters made it easier by capitulating without a struggle. Both players will find they have less time to select shots coming off the grass and Clijsters, particularly, must feel that her game is less multi-dimensional than that of Henin-Hardenne.

The French Open champion has also discovered a well of power that before this year had remained untapped. How she generates such torque from a 5ft 6ins frame is one of the tennis mysteries - and what a beautifully choreographed backhand to counterpoint the power.

All in all, Serena comes in as champion and the player to beat. Expect a few unknown players to push their way towards the second week. But there is still a firewall of elite players protecting the title. It is difficult to see that giving way.