Bummer of a summer is poor precursor for U.S. Open

Checking out what's been happening on the WTA Tour this summer conjures up the title of a Bob Dylan song, Desolation Row.

As has happened for several years, a spate of injuries, withdrawals and calculated scheduling decisions left the women's portion of the U.S. Open Series an unsatisfying mix of weaker-than-desired fields, spotty play and a set of results hardly revealing much of anything about what's to come in New York.

Kim Clijsters fell on her surgically repaired wrist and will be out of action until late October. (AP)

Kim Clijsters' improper reward for an arduous summer was yet another injury to her left wrist that leaves her unable to defend her U.S. Open title. Justine Henin-Hardenne, finalist in all three Slams this year, is only this week playing her first post-Wimbledon tournament. Ditto for world No. 1 and dual Slam holder Amelie Mauresmo.

So, in essence, the two top players of '06 are using the Pilot Pen Open in New Haven as a trumped-up practice session. I'll also note that it was rather shameful to see Maria Sharapova expediently pull out of Montreal moments after she lost in Carson, Calif.

And the Williams sisters? Don't get me started. We'll likely never know if Serena's spiral of injuries is caused by bad training or no training. As for Venus, she withdrew with a nagging wrist injury three days before the Open.

That said, I still see the favorites, in no particular order, as Henin-Hardenne, Mauresmo, Sharapova and, yes, Serena. Amid so many injuries and such in-and-out play, the telling factors for the women this year in New York will be confidence and past Slam experience.

Henin-Hardenne is a joy to watch. She can do so much, playing with a variety of power, touch, range and intensity unlike any woman in tennis history. But she's also a fine-tuned racing car, a competitor who must so carefully calibrate her mix of action and rest that hanging one's hopes on her is a delicate proposition, particularly on the hardcourts of the U.S. Open. Anything from schedule-shuffling weather to a tough early match could derail her.

If a bit less versatile and aesthetically pleasing than Henin-Hardenne, Mauresmo is, to her credit, physically sturdier.

This year she's at last come into her own, particularly when she won Wimbledon, a victory highlighted by wins over Sharapova in the semis and Henin-Hardenne in the final that included ample doses of newfound emotional and tactical fortitude. Mauresmo's all-court playing style and kindly manner makes her increasingly popular.

Sharapova played well to win in San Diego, but I was surprised to see her stumble vs. Elena Dementieva in the semifinals of Carson. Much like Andy Roddick, she's hoping that her jingle-jangle power game can earn her a second Slam singles title. Much as I'd like to see Sharapova employ more variety, the smarter bet is to see her demonstrate more patience and not always try to force her way through every point.

I'm at a loss on what to say about Serena. We've seen her and Venus win big, lose big, take time off, speak about dedication and desire, speak of life away from tennis.

In large part these two personify the deregulated aspects of an individual sport. Every player is her own franchise, utterly free to build a game to her own liking. So be it, right? Wrong? You tell me.