Caroline Wozniacki may be the top seed, but the Dane is not commanding the respect she deserves as media and analysts alike are catering to Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova. On a day when two of the top sixteen seeds surprisingly fell, Serena and Maria dominated the media’s attention.

Maria Sharapova

Serena Williams is here to defend her title but soon the field of 63 other players will be in chase. Williams was clearly not at her best and looks unlikely to survive 6 more matches. Maria Sharapova is in fine form and not only looks to be in great shape but it also looks like her serve has improved dramatically in the last three months. Maria has all aspects of her game in high gear.

Serena received a very real and determined challenge by France’s fashion plate, Aravane Rezai. The defending champion will have to elevate her game after her next match. She draws Rumania’s Simona Halep in round two but talented Marion Bartoli will be waiting in the fourth round.

What Serena showed her fans on Day Two was that her competitive spirit is still very much alive. Indeed, it is that spirit that pushed her past Rezai after dropping the second set.

Maria Sharapova is in Wozniacki’s quarter draw and looked unstoppable today against Anna Chakvetadze. The leggy blonde had her serve in overdrive and cruised to a 6-2, 6-1.

Sharapova now looks favorably placed in the draw because 10th seed Samantha Stosur never gained the momentum against stubborn Hungarian Melinda Czink, who won 6-3 6-4. Stosur has had a mediocre year and is bound to take a tumble in the rankings.

Sharapova’s good fortune paints a nervous picture for the top seed.

Caroline Wozniacki

Caroline Wozniacki cruised to an easy straight set win against Arantxa Parra Santaja, 6-2, 6-1. Before Wozniacki and Sharapova collide, the Dane will have to fight her way past probable opponent 16th seed Julia Goerge of Germany. That is bound to be a fierce match. Goerge features a very powerful serve and has some confidence after tripping up Wozniacki in Stuttgart.

Number three seed Li Na took out another Russian All Kudravtseva 6-3,6-3. Despite her championship in Paris, Li is often overlooked. China’s top player will not be an easy out for anyone.

In other matches of interest, Ana Ivanovic continues her rise back to the elite with a crushing defeat over discouraged teenager Melanie Oudin, 6-0, 6-1. Since her remarkable play in London two years ago, Melanie’s star has waned.

France’s ninth seed, Marion Bartoli continued her excellent play sweeping aside young Czech, Kristyna Kliskova. Bartoli should not meet much resistance until her clash with Serena Williams.

Fifteenth seed Jelena Jankovic won the first set but could not suppress an aggressive Maria Jose Sanchez Martinez in a tough three set loss, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

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