Will This Be Serena's Year at French Open?

With Henin retired, she's got a chance to regain her dominance

By Katherine Thompson, Newser Staff

Posted May 23, 2008 10:22 AM CDT

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Will This Be Serena's Year at French Open? — Serena Williams, of the United States, celebrates after beating Italy's Sara Errani at the Italian Open. With Henin gone, Williams's path to the French Open may be clear. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Justine Henin's abrupt retirement clears the way for Serena Williams to reassert herself in women's tennis, writes Tom Perrotta in the New York Sun, and there's no better place to start than this week's French Open. Last year, Henin took Williams down in all three majors, but Serena now seems to be at the top of her game mentally and phyiscally. The Open starts Sunday.

Other women stand poised to make the leap as well—Williams is seeded just fifth, though three of those ranked ahead of her have won just one major title combined. Jelena Jankovic will be coming off a win at the Italian Open and could end up facing Ana Ivanovic in an all-Serbian finals. But not, of course, if Serena has her say. (More tennis stories.)

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