She Is What She Is

*Ed. Note: Peter Bodo is on vacation until August 16th. In his absence, we are proud to present articles written by the TW Tribe.

*When Amelie Mauresmo walked into her post-final press conference at Wimbledon this year, she was wearing a Reebok shirt which said “Wimbledon Champion 2006: I Am What I Am.” How’s that for confidence?

For the better part of this year, Amelie has been the #1 player on tour. It is Amelie who has won two Grand Slams in 2006, defeating Justine Henin-Hardenne in both finals. Mauresmo followed up the Australian Open by winning back-to-back tournaments at Paris Indoors and Antwerp.

However, Amelie’s rise to the number one position in women’s tennis began at the YEC in November of 2005. Mauresmo credits her win over Mary Pierce in the final as being the catalyst to her current great form.

So what makes me confident that Amelie can put together another two weeks of brilliant tennis at this year’s U.S. Open? It’s simple, really. Amelie’s a totally different player now, confident in herself and her abilities, and she is finally capable of keeping her nerves from interfering with her fluid all-court game. It is my honest belief that Amelie's stellar net play won her the YEC title, two indoor titles at the beginning of this year and, most notably, her Wimbledon title. Finally, Amelie is starting to realize this fact as well:

I think, in tennis terms, I think I have learned that I should go to net more often. But this I already knew. But more and more I have to have my game very, very aggressive, go to net more often. I think, now, I know I can play great tennis. For confidence, is very good. So, yeah, I hope I'll keep going like this.

Tennis analysts, from John McEnroe to yours truly, have stated that Amelie’s heavy topspin forehand can be a liability on faster courts and that Mauresmo doesn’t end points often enough with her backhand. However, these same analysts have also witnessed the difference in Amelie’s faster, more accurate serve at Wimbledon, which allowed her to get to net more often and make use of her wonderful volleys.

For all the talk of Amelie’s topspin-heavy strokes being best suited to clay, most of her titles have come on hardcourts, both indoors and outdoors. If Mauresmo chooses to play at the net at the Open, she could very well take one of the biggest outdoor hardcourt titles this year.

Unfortunately we haven’t seen Amelie in action since the Wimbledon final due to a few trivial injuries. A light shoulder strain and groin pull have compelled Mauresmo to withdraw from Montreal. However, Amelie will be back in healthy competition at the Pilot Pen in two weeks’ time.

Mauresmo has been extremely consistent in her U.S. Open record, reaching at least the quarterfinals since 2002. This is Amelie’s year, though, and here’s to hoping that she breaks through that quarterfinal barrier at Flushing Meadows (much like she broke through her semifinal barrier at Wimbledon) and collects her third Grand Slam title. I believe
that with some match practice at Pilot Pen and the right draw at the Open, she just might pull it off.

Go Amelie!

--momofan