Here are the last couple of games to Agnieszka Radwanska’s win over Svetlana Kuznetsova. This is the second time that Radwanska has upset a Russian seeded second in the third round of a Grand Slam. Think Chakvetadze or Dementieva would want to try their luck against her at the French Open? I doubt it.
While a lot of people are calling it shocking, I would say it’s more surprising than anything. This wasn’t the first time that Agnieszka Radwanska was facing a second seeded Russian in the third round of a Grand Slam on the main court. It was the second consecutive time and like her upset of Sharapova at the US Open last year, Radwanska came through with ease, upsetting Kuznetsova 6-3, 6-4.
The reason it’s not surprising is that the upset was over Kuznetsova, the one player of the top 4 seeds that no one ever talks about unless it’s a footnote with the other results. Many have said that Kuznetsova is undeserving of her No. 2 ranking and while I wouldn’t go that far, it doesn’t look like she will have that ranking for much longer.
The question remains then, with Agnes Szavay out, Victoria Azarenka gone and Tamira Paszek out in the first round, is Radwanska the best of the newcomers? She will be the favourite in her next match against either Nadia Petrova or Ekaterina Makarova and as we noted before, has pulled a big upset once before and is comfortable playing the top ranked players.
We’ll have to wait and see, she could get as far as the semifinals before having to play either Venus Williams or Ana Ivanovic.