Get the cream cheese, and plenty of it

What is going on with Amelie Mauresmo? World number one Mauresmo lost the China Open final today, 4-6, 0-6 to Svetlana Kuznetsova. It was 4-all in the first set, and then there was a rain delay. After play resumed, Mauresmo never won another game.

That is strange enough, but today's final marks the fourth time in as many weeks that the world number one has been served a bagel. In her U.S. Open round of 16 match against Serena Williams, Mauresmo dropped the second set at love. And Maria Sharapova, who had never before beaten Mauresmo, took two love sets off of her in their U.S. Open semifinal.

It happens to everyone on occasion. Everyone remembers the double-bagel Sharapova had to eat when she played Lindsay Davenport last year at Indian Wells, marking the first time in history that a top three player failed to win a game in a tour match. But to be number one in the world and get bageled four times in a month is significant. The most likely cause is Mauresmo's poor preparation. She skipped the entire hard court season, and got to the U.S. Open semifinals on the strength of her talent. This was not a good plan, and she should avoid it in the future.

Mauresmo is my favorite WTA player. I waited a long time for her to finally reach her potential, and it is disturbing to see her play so erratically.