Baseline Buzz: What to make of the fallen WTA stars in Madrid

12:20 PM ET

The top five women’s seeds have already been eliminated in Madrid, an inauspicious lead-up to the French Open.

And this doesn’t even include top-ranked Serena Williams, who pulled out of the event with the flu.

With that, are these top-tier women contenders or pretenders to reach the semifinals in Paris?

1. Serena WilliamsClive Brunskill/Getty Images

Jim Caple, ESPN.com writer: She is always a contender, though she is not looking as good as last year. Then again, how easy is it to match a three-Slam season? Serena has played in only three tournaments since losing in the semis at the US Open eight months ago and hasn’t won any of them. Despite playing so few events, she also has already lost half as many matches this year (three) as she did in all 2015. She’s gone through such stretches before in her great career but the chances of her rebounding have to lessen as she gets older.

Greg Garber, ESPN.com writer: The last time there were doubts about Serena this powerful — about a decade ago — she rallied famously and started winning Grand Slams again. Yes, she’s 34 and the window is closing. No, she is hardly a pretender.

Melissa Isaacson, ESPN.com writer: Contender. Serena has won sick before (see: 2015 French Open). She has contended in majors while not playing her best tennis (see: 2015 US Open). She has won eight of the past nine Grand Slam finals. It is certainly not unheard of her to exit early in a Grand Slam (see: 2014 Australian, fourth round; French second, Wimbledon third). And this could actually be the beginning of the end if she can’t summon the proper motivation, which is everything for her. But as long as there’s a shred of pride left, she’s a contender.

2. Agnieszka RadwanskaDennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images

Caple: Contender, but barely. She might be No. 2 in the world right now, but she has not fared well at Roland Garros, where she has never reached the semis and only once advanced past the fourth round. Last year, she lost in the opening round. On the other hand, she has reached the semis at five tournaments this season and nine of her past 11. And she is in her prime at 27.

Garber: Radwanska, the No. 2-ranked player in the world, has done less with more than perhaps any player in the top 10 and made a career of beating players she’s supposed to beat. That said, she got bounced in the first round in Madrid by Dominika Cibulkova. Radwanska’s track record at Roland Garros — zero semifinals in nine previous attempts — says pretender.

Isaacson: Pretender. Her first-round loss in Madrid is a bit misleading, given her strong opposition in Dominika Cibulkova. But Radwanska was also broken 11 times. She’s the No. 2 player in the …

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