It seems that women's tennis is going through somewhat of a transition, and it is very difficult to predict who the Grand Slam winners will be. I have said previously that it is nice to see different names coming up to win these events, but it is good for the game for the established names to do well.
Therefore, it was great to see one of those so-called established names winning the 2012 French Open title. This latest success had special significance for Sharapova, because she became one of only a handful of players to win all the Grand Slam titles in their career, a feat known as a career Grand Slam.
Sharapova defeated Sara Errani 6-3 6-2 in a comfortable straight sets final victory on Saturday (9 June 2012). Her success in the tournament has also seen her climb back to the top of the women's rankings. In addition, it was her first Grand Slam victory since the 2008 Australian Open.
All this suggests that the 25-year-old is back to her best especially given that the French Open is not easy to win. In fact, Sharapova has been trying to win it her entire career before her success this year.
So as I have said repeatedly, it is now time for someone to step up and dominate. After her success at the 2012 Australian Open, I was hoping that Victoria Azarenka would be the one to do just that. However, she failed to deliver at Roland Garros this year.
Kim Clijsters is shortly expecting to retire, and Serena Williams is struggling to find that consistent level. Therefore, I firmly believe that the stage is set for Maria Sharapova to deliver. As we know, she has won all the Grand Slam titles before, so there is no reason to think that she can't do it again and make 2012 a fantastic year.
Of course, the next Grand Slam event is the 2012 Wimbledon tournament; somewhere the Russian has always said she enjoys playing. However, she hasn't tasted success here since 2004, so it is surely time that she secures her second Wimbledon title.
James Kent has been an avid supporter of tennis for a number of years; he enjoyed the 2012 French Open and is looking forward to Wimbledon, follow James on Twitter and Facebook.
