WTA Tour - Fantasy: Moving on

Eurosport - Fri, 11 Jul 12:26:00 2008

Justine Henin does not play professional tennis any more. She retired two months ago. She is gone. Some Fantasy Tennis owners need to get that through their heads and move on.

TENNIS 2008 Justine Henin - 0

Each week on "In or Out" we will offer tips on players who could be worth picking with your two weekly transfers, hopefully giving you an edge over your rivals. This week is the Stanford Classic.

Remember you can still join the game and play against your friends, family and colleagues in a mini-League. Click on the link below the photo to join up!

Group A

In: Serena Williams

The Wimbledon runner-up has been heading into one of her patented career climbs all season long. Having already won two titles in two tournaments played in the States this year, the North American summer is going to be her time to shine. A dominant spell on the US hardcourts, starting in the season-opening tournament in Stanford and going all the way through to Flushing Meadows, could even catapult her back to world number one. But she's only the fourth most popular player in our Fantasy game.....

Out: Justine Henin

Retired former world number one Justine Henin, meanwhile, is still the third most selected player in Fantasy Tennis! The Belgian has not played since announcing her retirement shortly before the French Open, and will not play until shortly after announcing her comeback some time in the next two years (don't hold us to this). All of those fantasy owners who still have her as your number one pick, get over it and get on board the Serena train before it's too late. And if you're looking for somebody not to pick who is actually playing tennis, then steer clear of Anna Chakvetadze, Daniela Hantuchova, and Marion Bartoli.

Group B

In: Elena Dementieva

The world number six has been one of the most consistent players on the WTA Tour this year, and has shown no signs that her form is abating. Plus, the former US Open runner-up loves the surface. Last year after a mediocre start to her season, she improved her game for the American summer reaching the semis in San Diego and quarters in Los Angeles. The Russian seems to love California almost as much as Williams, and is a good bet to meet Serena in the final in her Stanford debut.

Out: Patty Schnyder

Despite good results at the event in the past, the Swiss number one was upset after winning one match in Stanford last year. More recently Schnyder impressed at Roland Garros, but crashed out in the first round at Wimbledon. The hardcourts will not be as much of a struggle for the 29-year-old as the grass courts were, but with the clay season over Schnyder"s campaign should hit a downturn.

Group C

In: Sania Mirza

Her only half-decent tournament this season came during a fourth-round appearance at Indian Wells, which bodes well for a summer hardcourt campaign on the west coast. After reaching the final here last year, the Indian number one will also be hungry to defend those points, despite facing a much stronger field.

Out: Ai Sugiyama

The Japanese number one has been around a long time. Long enough to break the record for consecutive Grand Slam tournaments played. And long enough to have finished runner-up in this event 13 years ago when it was held in Oakland. But she has won just three matches in six appearances at this event since, and does not deserve to be the fourth most popular player in this group.

Group D

In: Lindsay Davenport

The former world number one's comeback to the sport has certainly been a rollercoaster. The new mom won four titles in her first six tournaments back, but has since missed more weeks than she has played after suffering from a back injury, a knee injury and a viral infection. Despite her withdrawal from the second round at Wimbledon, Lindsay is staying on our team in every tournament she enters until we actually see her lose some matches.

Out: Tsvetana Pironkova

We usually love the Bulgarian number one for her fight, but with the clay court season having ended long ago Pironkova's best part of the season has come and gone.

Jeremy Stahl / Eurosport

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