Nasdaq-100 Open.

Miami,

Tournament Info -

This week, Jelena travels to Miami for the Nasdaq-100 Open.  The event is dubbed the unofficial fifth Grand Slam, and boasts a staggering $3million plus as prize money.  It will once again be played outdoors on the hardcourts of the beautiful Crandon Park, in which is situated a 14,000 all seater stadium.  The event is in its twentieth year, and was the first two-week tournament with both male and female participants.  Naturally, companies are quick to flash their names around the event, and this year sponsors include Fila, Head, and the mighty Jeffrey Scott Magnetics.  The tournament director is one Adam Barrett, and you can find more information about tickets or travel, as well as live scores on the official website at http://www.nasdaq-100open.com.  The latest news around the tournament is the return of the Williams sisters, and also the coincidental withdrawal of all the top f our ranked players in the world.

Jelena and Miami -

Jelena has put in some very respectable performances in this tournament over the past four years.  It includes a 2nd round, 3rd round and two QF appearances.  One of which was at last year's event where she went down rather easily against Kim Clijsters in straight sets.  Defending these points will undoubtedly prove difficult for Jelena as she attempts to get her 2004 season moving in the right direction.  Last week's first hurdle fall must have been a real heartbreaker for Jelena.  It is all but confirmation that Jelena is in a slump and it's hard to predict Jelena getting her game back for this event.  The early losses have mounted up already this season and each week, the training she is taking part in seems to be doing little for her game.  Suffice to say, it's time to try something different.  She needs to relax, let go, and try to enjoy herself on the court.  The worrying of losing matches may be a very big factor in why Jelena seems unable to secure any wins lately, and if she can let that go, then maybe we can see her playing more freely, with more enjoyment, and then inevitably scoring some victories.

The Draw -

 

1st  round	2nd round	3rd round	4th round	QF	SF	Final	Winner
SWilliams(1)	SWilliams(1)
Bye
Qualifier	Marrero
Haynes
Qualifier
Reeves
bye	Likhovtseva(31)
Likhovtseva(31)
Sharapova(17)	Sharapova(17)
Bye
Srebotnik	Asagoe
Asagoe
Majoli	Grande
Qualifier
Bye	Pistolesi(13)
Pistolesi(13)
Suarez(9)	Suarez(9)
Bye
Chladkova	Chladkova
Cervanova
Casanova	Jackson
Jackson
Bye	Serna(18)
Serna(18)
Mandula(30)	Mandula(30)
Bye
Harkleroad	Craybas
Craybas
Garbin	Garbin
Czink
Bye	Zvonareva(7)
Zvonareva(7)
Capriati(4)	Capriati(4)
Bye
Stevenson	Koukalova
Koukalova
Morigami	Morigami
Qualifier
Bye	Daniilidou(25)
Daniilidou(25)
Safina(23)	Safina(23)
Bye
Medina-Guarrigues	Golovin
Golovin
Jankovic	Jankovic
Schaul
Bye	Maleeva(14)
Maleeva(14)
Kuznetsova(10)	Kuznetsova(10)
Bye
Kremer	Kremer
Cho
Qualifier	Kapros
Kapros
Bye	Pisnik(22)
Pisnik(22)
Sprem(29)	Sprem(29)
Bye
Qualifier	Lee-Waters
Vakulenko
Vento-Kabachi	Vento-Kabachi
Qualifier
Bye	Sugiyama(6)
Sugiyama(6)
Petrova(8)	Petrova(8)
Bye
Callens
Qualifier
Barna
Diaz-Oliva
Bye	Loit(32)
Loit(32)
Molik(24)	Molik(24)
Bye
Frazier
Black
Qualifier
Sucha
Bye	Farina-Elia(11)
Farina-Elia(11)
Zuluaga(16)	Zuluaga(16)
Bye
Perry
Weingartner
Perebiynis
Granville
Bye	Dechy(21)
Dechy(21)
Krasnoroutskaya(28)	Krasnoroutskaya(28)
Bye
Qualifier
Gagliardi
Irvin
Kutuzova
Bye	Myskina(3)
Myskina(3)
Dementieva(5)	Dementieva(5)
Bye
Qualifier
Ondraskova
Qualifier
Obata
Bye	Sanchez-Lorenzo(26)
Sanchez-Lorenzo(26)
Shaughnessy(19)	Shaughnessy(19)
Bye
Kostanic
Brandi
Pratt
Parra
Bye	Dokic(12)
Dokic(12)
Schiavone(16)	Schiavone(16)
Bye
Vaidisova
Kurhajcova
Schett
Panova
Bye	Raymond(20)
Raymond(20)
Hantuchova(27)	Hantuchova(27)
Bye
Ruano-Pascual
Tanasugarn
Qualifier
Zheng
Bye	VWilliams(2)
VWilliams(2)

 

Jelena is the 12th seed in this rather huge draw.  She has a first round bye and then will most likely face Nicole Pratt (who she defeated rather nervously a few weeks back in Doha.)  There's not a lot bigger to Jelena right now than getting past the first hurdle.  If she plays like she didat Indian Wells, then we will most likely see a similar result.  She needs a lot of luck, a lot of hard work, and a touch of class.  It is Jelena's biggest match of the season thus far.  A loss here will see her fall in the rankings and stand her in bad stead for the second quarter of the season.  Should she overcome this hurdle, then she's likely to face the 19th seed, Meghannn Shaughnessy.  This would prove another tricky match which could easily go either way.  If Jelena doesn't play well, she will lose.  It's that simple.  Shaughnessy will not throw it away, and will certainly fancy her chances against a confidenceless Jelena.&nbs p; Jelena's prospective 4th round opponent is Elena Dementieva.  If Jelena can get the first two victories, then you would expect her to score another win to send her into the QF stage, so the path is not impossible.  There she would most likely face Lisa Raymond, or possibly Venus Williams.  Should Jelena reach this stage, then I will add another section to deal with those players.  Jelena will have to take things one step at a time, and the 2nd round match is simply a must win.

---------------------------------------------

PREDICTION -

1rd - Bye,

2rd - Jele def. Pratt in three,

3rd - Shaughnessy def. Jele in three.

-------------------------------------

comments: g_l_james@hotmail.com