With the sudden withdrawal of world No.1 Justine Henin of Belgium, world No.2 Maria Sharapova is eventually going to inherit the No.1 rank.

Probably, this is not the way the Russian would have wanted to become No.1 again, but the consequences of Henin's decision includes Sharapova becoming the top-ranked player, and the question is, who is still a challange for her?

Henin and Sharapova played each other nine times. The Belgian won six and Sharapova never defeated her on clay, but her performances on the surface are getting better. She even managed to win at the Bausch & Lomb Championships on Amelia Island this year.

'Probably the biggest challenge is world No.6 Serena Williams, who won five matches from seven against Sharapova'


If the Russian's top form endures until Roland Garros, which begins next week, we would have witnessed the most interesting match of the decade, partly because Henin had won the French Open three times, and partly because she did not defeat Sharapova in 2008.

Neither world No.3, Ana Ivanovic, nor world No.4, Jelena Jankovic, has a positive results balance against Sharapova. Ivanovic lost three matches from five while Jankovic lost four matches from five.

World No.5 Svetlana Kuznetsova achieved better results against Sharapova with four wins each. She is one of only two players who managed to triumph over Sharapova this year, with victory in the Indian Wells semi final.

Probably the biggest challange is world No.6 Serena Williams, who won five matches from seven against Sharapova, including the 2008 Charlstone quarter final, which was played on green clay.

World No.7 Elena Dementieva could only win two matches from 10, and No.8 Anna Chakvetadze lost all her six matches against Sharapova.

World No.9 Venus Williams leads 3-2, but they haven't met in 2008, and finally world No.10 Daniela Hantuchova has lost seven times from eight meetings.

If anyone wants to defeat Maria, they have to be in brilliant form because being the top female tennis player is at stake.