The Ladies

Justine Henin-Hardenne, finalist in 2001. — Pic. AP-

We rate the contenders from one tennis ball (forget about it) to five (good bet).

Jennifer Capriati, 27,Saddlebrook, Fla

She's had her moments this year, but the magic of 2001 seems a lifetime away. Best result: 1991, semifinals. Beat Martina Navratilova. Worst: 1999, second round. Routed by Seda Noorlander.

Kim Clijsters, 20,Belgium.

Her athleticism and potent strokes will serve her well. If the Williamses falter, she's the most likely to succeed. Best result: 2001, quarterfinals. Worst: 2002, second round. Upset by No. 48 Elena Likhovtseva.

Jelena Dokic, 20,Serbia-Montenegro.

Her baseline bashing is well-suited to grass. Look for a third straight fourth-round finish. Best result: 2000 semifinals. Her best Slam finish so far. Worst: 2002, fourth round. Daniela Hantuchova replaced her as the new talent on the block.

Lindsay Davenport, 27,Laguna Beach, Calif.

Her best shot at another Slam may be on grass, where her hard, flat strokes are most lethal. Best result: 1999, champion. Sent Steffi Graf packing in the final. Worst: 1997, second round. Beat up by Denisa Chladkova.

Daniela Hantuchova, 20,Slovakia.

Has the all-court tools, but her game is green. Best result: 2002, quarterfinals. Successful second trip. Worst: 2001, second round. Faced Venus.

Justine Henin-Hardenne, 21,Belgium.

Shows up big at the big events and has beaten Serena this year. Best result: 2001, final. Pushed Venus to three. Worst: 2002, semifinals. Looked over-matched against yes, Venus.

Amelie Mauresmo, 24,France.

Her new-found willingness to finish points at net makes her a contender. Best result: 2002, semifinals. Upset Capriati in the quarters. Worst: 2000, first round. It wasn't long ago that she was DOA on grass.

Chanda Rubin, 27,Lafayette, L.A.

She has great fighting spirit but struggles on grass. Best result: 2002, fourth round. Nice run but didn't beat a high seed. Worst: 1997, first round. Won all of two games off Anna Kournikova.

Monica Seles, 29,Sarasota, Fla.

Florida. Has never won here because she doesn't move well enough on the soft, slick grass. Best result: 1992, final. Lost to Steffi Graf. Worst: 1996, second round. Upset by Katarina Studenikova.

Meghann Shaughnessy, 24,Scottsdale, Arizona

Beat Veus Williams this spring, but she's still more than a few steps from stardom. Best result: 2001, fourth round. Lost a tight two-setter to Clijsters. Worst: 2002, second round. Failed to build on 2001 success.

Serena Williams, 21,Palm Beach Gardens, Fla<90>.

If she keeps the errors down, she'll win. Best result: 2002, champion. Won her second straight major final. Worst: 1998, third round. She hasn't lost earlier at a Slam since.

Venus Williams, 23,Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.<90>

If she serves well and plays with passion, this may be the best place for Venus to beat little sister. Best result: 2000, champion. Won her first major. Worst: 1997, first round. Lost, somehow, to a woman named Magdalena Grzybowska.