Five reasons why Serena can be beaten

Getting old

AT 32, Serena Williams will be among the veterans at Roland Garros and, as has been seen with Roger Federer, age catches up with all tennis players eventually. She says that like good wine she improves with age, but a fortnight of bruising clay-court play at Roland Garros could turn that wine to vinegar.

Injury woes

SERENA has been beset with injuries over the last few years although she was healthy for most of last year when she won in Paris and New York.

A back injury hit her at the Australian Open and she was forced out in Madrid two weeks ago with an injury to her left leg.

Clay constraints

CLAY always has been and will remain Serena’s least favourite surface. Only two of her 17 Grand Slam titles came on clay in 2002 and last year and her movement on the red dirt has hardly improved over the years as she uses her power to compensate. The surface also takes some of the sting out of her big service game.

Crowd pressure

SERENA loves Paris, but Paris has not always loved Serena. The centre- court faithful at Roland Garros have booed and jeered her before, notably against their favourites Justine Henin and Amelie Mauresmo, at times reducing her to tears. She won some converts last year by conducting her courtside interviews in French.

State of mind

KNOWN to be the most unforgiving opponent in women’s tennis when she is in the mood, Serena can, at times, allow herself to become distracted and unfocused, as in her topsy-turvy quarter-final struggle against Svetlana Kuznetsova last year. – Sapa-AFP