Ladies Battle For No. 1 in NY

As the first week of the U.S. Open is nearing its end, I am enjoying one of my favorite weekends of the year. An extended weekend, courtesy of Labor Day, for which I plan in advance, by getting my pizzas and beverages from my favorite grocery store, keeping the home-food delivery numbers nearby, and keeping my dogs off my favorite couch so that I can have it at my full disposition, all in the name of fully enjoying the endless hours of U.S. Open tennis coverage on TV.

Initially, I was planning to write about the men's draw where, quite frankly, most of the good matches have taken place. Every seeded player, other than Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, have been pushed hard. We have had some dramatic five-set matches, some expected surprises, and the continued rise of a few in-form players such as Juan Martin Del Potro and Gale Monfils. Last, but not the least, unlike the other Slams, there are still enough Americans alive in the tournament to keep the patriotic portion of the U.S. Open crowd stirring with passion. However, in terms of the bigger picture, the women's draw is offering a rare storyline.

I have followed the sport of tennis for a long time. Yet I can't remember a time where the top spot has been within reach of so many players during a Slam tournament. Of course, the stunning upset of the top seed Ana Ivanovic had something to do with it, but there is even one strange, twisted scenario in which she could still end up holding on to her top ranking after the U.S. Open.

At first glance, Serena Williams seems like the most likely player to become number one at the end of the week. And believe me when I say that I am using the term "most likely" in a very loose manner. The scenario is a simple one: Serena wins the U.S. Open, she becomes number one. Serena can also reach number one by getting to the finals, as long as Jelena Jankovic or Elena Dementieva do not win the title. While her situation is similar to Dementieva or Jankovic, in that winning the title puts her to the top, we call this the most likely scenario because, unlike Jankovic and Dementieva, Serena has won the title before, twice. In her draw looms one monumental hurdle: her sister, Venus Williams.

The second seed, Jelena Jankovic, recently said that she wants to reach number one so badly that she can almost "smell it." Well, her mouth must really be watering now, because just like Serena, all she has to do in order to reach the apogee of WTA rankings is win the title in New York. She does not have Venus, Serena, or Amelie Mauresmo on her side of the draw, but she does have confidence problems (at least according to her) and has not won a Slam title yet. Similar to Serena, Jelena can also reach number one if she loses in the finals, as long as Serena is not the winner of the tournament.

But wait a second ... it's not over yet! There are the two Russians who can also "smell it": Elena Dementieva and Dinara Safina.

Elena Dementieva, the gold medal winner at the Olympic Games, also has the number one ranking within her grasp. Just like Jankovic and Serena Williams, she needs to win the title to reach number one. Furthermore, just like the other two, she can still reach number one by simply getting to the finals. But unlike the other two, her scenario gets much more complicated if she does not win the title match. In that case, she must count on Jankovic not being part of the final four, plus Serena Williams and Dinara Safina must not win the title.

Dinara Safina, another player who could reach number one at the end of the U.S. Open, needs a bit more help. It is not enough that she wins the title, but she must also win it in the finals against a player other than Jelena Jankovic. Just like the previous three, a finals appearance may even suffice for Safina, as long as Dementieva does not win the title and that Jankovic loses in the quarterfinals against Sybille Bammer of Austria.

Confusing enough? Sorry, but there is still one more. Ana Ivanovic, amazingly enough, could still remain number one. Chances are the same as Alex Rodriguez closing his career with a World Series championship, but it is possible, hence we will mention it. Hey, it's almost like rocket science, so don't bust your head over it. Just know that Jankovic and Williams must lose in the quarters, and Dementieva and Safina must lose before the final day. Say no more!

With so many candidates for a top spot, no matter the intricacies of the outcomes, it is captivating enough a storyline to cling on to the monopoly of the remote control at home, and watch the ladies battle it out for the top spot. From this point on, the drama level should increase quickly, as well as the quality of the matches. When there are more players chasing the same goal, it's only natural. Bring it on, ladies!