Francesca converted 2 of 7 break points she held against Sam; Sam scored on 1 of the 2 break point she reached against Francesca. Francesca made 15 trips to the net, and scored every time but one; Sam scored on 11 of 18 net approaches. Francesca won 72 points; Samantha, 64.
"I prepared the final mentally and tactically very good. I was so concentrated on my serve... Was my tactic to keep going [to the net], to press her on the backhand, and when I had the chance to go on the forehand, because she's very strong. My goal was to do that, and to be aggressive and to go inside...
"I'm so happy. I'm really so happy... To kiss the ground for me is to thank this clay, this beautiful tournament and this arena. I call the arena to give me this opportunity and all the emotion that I am living."
"[Francesca] had her day. She went for it and everything came off. It takes guts to do that, and she did it. I don't think I can really say I did anything wrong. It was just well done to her."
Both Francesca and Samantha were playing in their first-ever Grand Slam singles final. Samantha still leads Francesca 4-2 in
. Their most recent meeting was last year in the final Osaka, where Sam won her first ever WTA singles title, defeating Francesca 7-5, 6-1. They had met twice previously on red clay, and Samantha won both times, most recently in the 1st round last year at Roland Garros, 6-4, 6-2.
is now 4-10 in WTA singles finals (but has won four of her last six); she won her first title at Bad Gastein in 2007, her second at Moscow last year, and her most recent this year at Barcelona (the same week Samantha won the Charleston title). Francesca has a 27-11 singles match record this year.
is now 2-6 in WTA singles finals (but has won two of her last four); she won last year at Osaka, and this year at Charleston. Sam has an 32-8 singles match record in 2010.
WTA SCOREBOARD: French Open, Roland Garros
French Open, Roland Garros, Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris, France
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tourney time: = GMT +2 hours
= US EDT +6 hours
= US PDT +9 hours
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Paris News - France News
Roland Garros: The 128-player main draw for the French Open has 32 seeds, with no 1st-round byes. There are 12 qualifiers and 8 wild cards in the main draw. Qualifying finals are on Friday.
Main draw play begins on Sunday. Early round play at Roland Garros begins at 11am local time.
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2010: Players practicing at Roland Garros in the days leading up to the 2010 French Open included French #1 Marion Bartoli and this year's Dubai champ, Venus Williams... 2009 French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova helped out at the main draw on Friday, May 21... row 2: the 2002 FO champ, top-seeded # 1 Serena Williams trained on Saturday, the last day before the start of play, as did 2003, '05, '06 and '07 French Open champion Justine Henin...
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French Open, 1st Round Sun-Tue May 23-25 11am
loser's prize: €15,000 = US $18,978 ; points: 5
#1 s1 Serena Williams USA d #76 Stefanie Voegele SUI 7-6(2), 6-2 (top) Mon
Serena serving, Stefanie about to swat a backhand, Serena following a forehand, and Serena complimenting Stefanie after match point
Serena struck 28 winners with 22 unforced errors; Stefanie hit 13 winners, but had only 12 errors. Serena reached break point against Stefanie only 3 times in the match, but converted all 3; Stefanie scored on only 1 of the 4 break points she held against Serena. match stats
Serena was not pleased with her performance. Serena said: "I definitely didn't feel good about it. At least I won. I think I'm still in the tournament; that's what matters." postmatch interview
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#2 s2 Venus Williams USA d #61 Patty Schnyder SUI 6-3, 6-3 Sun
Venus serving, and Patty about to swat a forheand
Venus said: "1st round match against a really potentially dangerous opponent. I mean, [Patty is] very good on this surface, and just a very experienced player, so definitely the kind of match where I wanted to stay focused the whole way through, so I was very pleased." postmatch interview
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#3 s3 Caroline Wozniacki DEN d #79 Alla Kudryavtseva RUS 6-0, 6-3 Mon
Alla and Caroline launching forehands on the run, and Caro after match point
Caroline sprained her right ankle in the semifinals in Charleston on April 17, and after returning to play lost 3 of her next 5 matches, then retired from her quarterfinal match in Warswaw last week. She is playing with her ankle taped.
Caroline said: "[My ankle] feels much better today. Yeah, I felt really good, actually... I've had good support in the tape, so I was really happy about that." postmatch interview
Caroline hit 13 winners with only 9 unforced errors; Alla had 15 winners, but with 21 errors. Caroline converted 5 of 9 break points against Alla; Alla scored on only 1 of 5 break points against Caroline. match stats
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#4 s4 Jelena Jankovic SRB d #95 Alicia Molik AUS 6-0, 6-4 (top) Mon
Alicia serving, Jelena running down a forehand, and after match point
#5 s5 Elena Dementieva RUS d #66 Petra Martic CRO 6-1, 6-1 Mon
Elena following a backhand, Petra driving a forehand, and Elena after match point
About playing on clay, Elena said: "I think it's very different footwork, very different motion. You really have to get ready, because it's a different game. You have to be patient. You have to be physically ready. And with all the sliding, you know, it really takes some time, you know, to feel your game on the clay courts, and more matches you play, you feel more comfortable. It's easier to play." postmatch interview
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#6 s6 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS d #34 Sorana Cirstea ROU 6-3, 6-1 Sun
Svetlana driving a forehand, and Sorana following one
Sorana took a 3-0 lead in the 1st set. Svetlana said: "I was a little bit nervous in the start, and it was rough start for me, but I think I'm very happy about it. I managed to come back and fight for every single game. Doesn't matter if I was down love-40 or 15-40, whatever was it. I was just playing as many balls back as I could." postmatch interview
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#7 s7 Samantha Stosur AUS d #114 q Simona Halep ROU 7-5, 6-1 (top) Mon
Simona and Samantha driving forehands
Samantha said: "Even though I was 4-2 down [in the 1st set] I still felt like I was playing all right, playing fine. I had break point in [Simona's] first service game, so I knew I was able to break her. It was just a matter of being able to do it. Would have been better not to be 4-2 down, but I wasn't panicked or anything like that." postmatch interview
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#8 s8 Agnieszka Radwanska POL d #63 Elena Baltacha GBR 6-0, 7-5 (top) Mon
Elena lining up a forehand, and Agnieszka driving a backhand
*#69 Kimiko Date Krumm JPN d #9 s9 Dinara Safina RUS 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 Tue
Kimiko serving, Dinara driving a forehand, Kimiko in pain from her calf strain, Kimiko's forehand, and after match point
The match was sloppy. Kimiko struck 37 winners with 63 unforced errors; Dinara hit only 12 winners, and had 38 errors. Kimiko converted 6 of 16 break points she held against Dinara; Dinara scored on 5 of the 12 break points she held against Kimiko. match stats
Kimiko was visibly in pain from a right calf strain she incurred before the tourney, and trailed 1-4 in the 3rd set, but did not retire from the match.
Kimiko said: "Today during the match I many times I was thinking to better to retire or not, because it's still many tournament coming, and then next Grand Slam coming very soon. Then my condition was very bad. So if I injury one more time, it's big injury. I cannot play anymore. But my feeling was don't want to stop. So even when I lost, I don't want to stop.
"And then same time [Dinara] start a little bit get nervous, and then she start to make easy mistake. So I try many things, dropshot, and then to use more wider, slowly, and then she start mistakes. So I try everything, and then just to wait until she mistake." postmatch interview
Dinara missed most of the early part of this season due to a low back injury she incurred last year, and has a 1-4 record since the Australian Open. After losing in the 1st round in Madrid two weeks ago, Dinara dismissed Zjelko Krajan, her coach of the past two years.
Dinara said: "I had never seen [Kimiko] play. I knew how she's playing because I saw her practicing... First set I was pretty dominant. Second set I was up a break. Third set I was 4-1 double break up. I should have close it in two sets.
"She plays aggressive. That's it. She takes the ball early. She plays little bit different. She plays pretty flat." postmatch interview
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*#44 Gisela Dulko ARG d #11 s10 Victoria Azarenka BLR 6-1, 6-2 Sun
Gisela serving, Victoria driving a backhand, Gisela following a forehand, and after match point
#12 s11 Na Li CHN d #235 wc Kristina Mladenovic FRA 7-5, 6-3 Mon
Na serving, Kristina following a backhand, and Na driving a forehand
#13 s12 Maria Sharapova RUS d #110 q Ksenia Pervak RUS 6-3, 6-2 Tue
Maria serving, Ksenia following a backhand, Maria driving a forehand, and after match point
#14 s13 Marion Bartoli FRA d #111 Maria Elena Camerin ITA 6-2, 6-3 Tue
Marion and Maria Elena driving backhands, and Marion wondering if her lucky visor will make it through the tourney
#15 s14 Flavia Pennetta ITA d #115 Anne Keothavong GBR 6-2, 6-2 Sun
Flavia and Anne driving forehand and backhand
#16 s15 Aravane Rezai FRA d #168 q Heidi El Tabakh CAN 6-1, 6-1 Sun
Heidi serving, Aravane about to connect with a backhand, and after match point
#17 s16 Yanina Wickmayer BEL d #83 Sandra Zahlavova CZE 6-1, 6-1 Tue
Sandra serving, and Yanina following a forehand
#18 s17 Francesca Schiavone ITA d #67 Regina Kulikova RUS 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 Mon
#19 s18 Shahar Peer ISR d #202 q Nuria Llagostera Vives ESP 6-1, 6-4 Tue
Shahar driving a forehand, and Nuria about to swat one
#20 s19 Nadia Petrova RUS d #127 q Shuai Zhang CHN 6-0, 6-3 Sun
*#97 Akgul Amanmuradova UZB d #21 s20 Maria José Martinez Sanchez ESP 6-2, 6-4 Sun
Akgul driving a forehand, and Maria José volleying one
#22 s21 Vera Zvonareva RUS d #74 Alberta Brianti ITA 6-3, 6-1 Tue
Alberta volleying a backhand and considering the advantages of the red clay surface, and Vera driving a backhand
#23 s22 Justine Henin BEL d #100 Tsvetana Pironkova BUL 6-4, 6-3 Tue
Justine serving, Tsvetana about to fire a forehand, Justine following one, and after match point
Justine hit 31 winners with only 19 unforced errors; Tsvetana had 11 winners, with 15 errors. Justine converted 4 of 7 break points against Tsvetana; Tsvetana scored on only 1 of 6 break points against Justine. match stats
Justine said: "I didn't serve really good in that match, that's for sure. I returned pretty good. [Tsvetana] was serving quite strong and pretty fast. In the first set, I took control of the match [with a] break at 3-all.
"In the second set I was up and probably at that time I was feeling relaxed to be up 2-love, and then I was down 3-2. And after that, I just tried to be more aggressive and just tried to come more to the net.
"She has a very strange game because she hits so hard on the ball. Sometimes it's very slow, so you have to deal with it. But first round is never easy. So I'm just happy I came through like this." postmatch interview
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#24 s23 Daniela Hantuchova SVK d #65 Tamarine Tanasugarn THA 6-1, 6-1 Tue
Daniela and Tammy driving forehand and backhand, and Daniela after winning a point
#25 s24 Lucie Safarova CZE d #117 Jelena Dokic AUS 6-2, 6-2 Mon
Lucie and Jelena driving backhands
Former WTA #4 Jelena said: "I was nervous at the beginning, so [Lucie] got a head start. About three games through passed before I could get into some rallies... there's nothing really to be disappointed about. You know, I've played four tournaments this year..." postmatch interview
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#26 s25 Jie Zheng CHN d #123 Ekaterina Bychkova RUS 7-5, 6-4 Tue
Jie and Ekaterina driving forehand and backhand
#27 s26 Dominika Cibulkova SVK d #151 q Ekaterina Ivanova RUS 6-2, 6-0 Sun
Ekaterina driving a forehand, and Dominika about to swat a backhand
#28 s27 Alona Bondarenko UKR d #52 Vera Dushevina RUS 6(3)-7, 6-3, 6-4 (top) Mon
Vera and Alona driving backhands
#29 s28 Alisa Kleybanova RUS d #104 Mariya Koryttseva UKR 6-2, 6-1 (top) Mon
#30 s29 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova RUS d #72 Alizé Cornet FRA 6-4, 6-2 Tue
Anastasia serving, and Alizé following a backhand
#31 s30 Maria Kirilenko RUS d #103 Karolina Sprem CRO 7-6(5), 6-4 Sun
Karolina lining up a forehand, and Maria's backhand drive
#32 s31 Alexandra Dulgheru ROU d #71 Lucie Hradecka CZE 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-3 Mon
Lucie lost despite striking 51 winners, including 18 aces; she also hit 69 errors, including 11 double faults (Alexandra: 21 winners, 2 aces, 30 errors, 0 DFs). match stats
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#33 s32 Kateryna Bondarenko UKR d #82 Julie Coin FRA 6-1, 6-2 Mon
*#36 Yaroslava Shvedova KAZ d #35 Sara Errani ITA 6-1, 7-5 (top) Mon
*#49 Anabel Medina Garrigues ESP d #37 Melanie Oudin USA 7-5, 6-2 Mon
Melanie driving a forehand, and Anabel eyeing a backhand
#38 Olga Govortsova BLR d #39 Carla Suarez Navarro ESP 7-6(9), 6-1 Tue
#40 Andrea Petkovic GER d #42 Elena Vesnina RUS 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 Sun
Andrea and Elena about to swat forehands
#41 Ana Ivanovic SRB d #89 Kai-Chen Chang TPE 6-3, 6-3 (top) Mon
Ana serving, Kai-Chen driving a forehand, Ana about to swat a backhand, and after winning a point
2008 French Open champion Ana said: "I love playing on clay. I grew up on this surface. It's always fun coming back here, and then the crowd, it's amazing. They always give me so much support. It's a lot of fun and a lot of emotions playing here, so I just try to take it one step at a time. But I do have high expectations of myself." postmatch interview
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#43 Timea Bacsinszky SUI d #87 Tatjana Malek GER 6-2, 6-3 Mon
#45 Agnes Szavay HUN d #208 wc Stephanie Foretz FRA 6-2, 6-2 Sun
Stephanie and Agnes watching their serves fly
#46 Aleksandra Wozniak CAN d #53 Iveta Benesova CZE 6-3, 6-3 Mon
*#60 Roberta Vinci ITA d #50 Virginie Razzano FRA 7-5, 6-2 Mon
Service tosses: Virginie and Roberta
#51 Magdalena Rybarikova SVK d #70 Sofia Arvidsson SWE 6(2)-7, 6-3, 6-2 (top) Mon
#54 Sybille Bammer AUT d #101 Mariana Duque Marino COL 6-0. 6-1 Tue
#55 Polona Hercog SLO d #179 q Misaki Doi JPN 6-3, 6-0 Mon
#56 Tathiana Garbin ITA d #77 Kristina Barrois GER 1-6, 7-6(7), 6-3 Mon
*#81 Julia Goerges GER d #57 Melinda Czink HUN 6-2 6-3 (top) Mon
*#113 Johanna Larsson SWE d #58 Anastasija Sevastova LAT 6-2, 6-2 Sun
#59 Arantxa Parra Santonja ESP d #150 q Kurumi Nara JPN 6-2, 6-2 Mon
Arantxa ready to swat a 2-handed forehand with backhand grip, and Kurumi's backhand drive
*#146 q Sophie Ferguson AUS d #62 Petra Kvitova CZE 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 Mon
Sophie serving, and Petra about to drive a backhand
#64 Angelique Kerber GER d #116 Anna Chakvetadze RUS 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-4 Sun
Angelique and Anna driving backhand and forehand
#68 Kirsten Flipkens BEL d #86 Ayumi Morita JPN 6-1, 6-4 Tue
Ayumi serving, and Kristen about to swat a forehand
#102 Rossana de los Rios PAR d #73 Barbora Zahlavova Strycova CZE 7-6(2) 6-3 (top) Mon
*#125 LL Bethanie Mattek-Sands USA d #75 Vania King USA 6-2, 6-2 Tue
#78 Klara Zakopalova CZE d #284 sr20 Katarina Srebotnik SLO 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-2 Tue
Katarina and Klara driving forehand and backhand
*#186 q Anastasia Pivovarova RUS d #80 Ioana Raluca Olaru ROU 6-4, 6-3 Tue
*#107 wc Jarmila Groth AUS d #85 Yung-Jan Chan TPE 6-2, 6-3 Tue
Jarmila serving, and Yung-Jan driving a backhand
#90 Yvonne Meusburger AUT d #218 wc Claire Feuerstein FRA 7-6(4), 6-3 Sun
#92 Jill Craybas USA d #124 Katie O'Brien GBR 6-0, 4-6, 6-2 Tue
Katie driving a forehand, and Jill about to launch one
*#119 q Kaia Kanepi EST d #93 Pauline Parmentier FRA 6-3, 6-1 (top) Mon
Pauline serving, and Kaia driving a forehand
*#99 Anastasia Rodionova AUS d #98 Ekaterina Makarova RUS 6-3, 6-2 Tue
*#143 wc Stephanie Cohen-Aloro FRA d #118 Stephanie Dubois CAN 6-7(3) 6-1 6-3 Mon
#128 Varvara Lepchenko USA d #167 wc Christina McHale USA 7-5, 6-3 Sun
Christina driving a backhand, and Varvara following a forehand
*#203 wc Olivia Sanchez FRA d #129 Shenay Perry USA 7-6(4), 6-0 Tue
#133 q Chanelle Scheepers RSA d #241 wc Mathilde Johansson FRA 6-2, 6-4 Sun
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French Open, 2nd Rd Wed-Thu May 26-27 11am WTA Wed story
loser's prize: €25,000 = US $31,630 ; points: 100
Wednesday: intermittent rain delays, 4 matches ppd-Thu
Thursday: play start 3:40pm; intermittent rain; 3 matches TF & 6 ppd-Fri
#1 s1 Serena Williams USA d #81 Julia Goerges GER 6-1, 6-1 ppd-Fri
Julia serving, Serena driving a backhand, and after match point
#2 s2 Venus Williams USA d #59 Arantxa Parra Santonja ESP 6-2, 6-4 Wed
Arantxa serving, Venus driving a forehand, and after match point
Venus said: "I thought the courts were playing slower than my first round, so definitely had to work the point a little more. [Arantxa is] scrappy, so she's going to throw up high balls, a slice, hit with some pace. I didn't know exactly what ball to expect. Definitely kept me on my toes.
"Overall today... on the bigger points, especially on my serve, I thought I played those really well, and I think that was key." postmatch interview
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#3 s3 Caroline Wozniacki DEN d #56 Tathiana Garbin ITA 6-3, 6-1 Wed
Caroline serving, Tathiana and Caroline driving forehands, and Caro after match point
#4 s4 Jelena Jankovic SRB d #119 q Kaia Kanepi EST 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 Thu
Jelena serving, Kaia and Jelena driving forehand and backhand, and Jelena after match point
Jelena struck 30 winners with 22 unforced errors; Kaia hit 31 winners, with 24 errors. Jelena converted 4 of 7 break points she held against Kaia; Kaia scored on 2 of 3 break points she held against Jelena. match stats
Jelena said: "I thought that I played pretty well in the first set, even though the conditions were much more different than in the first round when I played, because the court was much slower, the balls were heavier. So overall the play was much, much slower. So I tried my best.
"In the second set [Kaia] played much better. She made a lot more first serves. I decided to back up, and I didn't really do what I was supposed to do. Then when we had a break, in the third, I thought, 'I have to play more aggressively. I have to go for my shots a little more. I have to go out there and play offensively and try to win.' That's what I did.
"So overall it was a very difficult match. She's a tough opponent to play against, and I'm happy that I was able to get through." postmatch interview
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#5 s5 Elena Dementieva RUS d #49 Anabel Medina Garrigues ESP 6-2, 7-6(3) ppd-Thu
Anabel and Elena driving backhands
#6 s6 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS d #40 Andrea Petkovic GER 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 Wed
Svetlana following a forehand, Andrea driving a backhand, and Svetlana after match point
Svetlana struck 32 winners with 27 unforced errors; Andrea hit 26 winners, with 33 errors. Svetlana converted 7 of 16 break points she held against Andrea; Andrea scored on all 6 break points she held against Svetlana. match stats
Andrea held four match points in the 2nd set, but lost all four on unforced errors.
Svetlana said: "From here on, I move on much more confident... As I said before, first two, three matches gonna be tough. This is what happened, and I stood up there strong and I passed this round." postmatch interview
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#7 s7 Samantha Stosur AUS d #102 Rossana de los Rios PAR 4-6, 6-1, 6-0 ppd-Fri
Rossana about to fire a forehand, Samantha driving a backhand, and after match point
*#36 Yaroslava Shvedova KAZ d #8 s8 Agnieszka Radwanska POL 7-5, 6-3 Thu
Yaroslava driving a backhand, and Agnieszka about to swat a forehand
#12 s11 Na Li CHN d #143 wc Stephanie Cohen-Aloro FRA 6-2, 6-2 ppd-Thu
#13 s12 Maria Sharapova RUS d #68 Kirsten Flipkens BEL 6-3, 6-3 Thu-dark-Fri
Kirsten driving a forehand, Maria following a backhand, and after match point
Maria said: "The past few years I've had my fair share of difficult early rounds [at Roland Garros], and most of them have gone to three sets. So it's been a nice change of pace to get the job done in two in the last few days.
"My next one [against 4-time French Open champion Justine Henin] is obviously gonna be tough, and I look forward to it. We've had some great matches in the past, and, you know, we've had some battles. I've had some tough losses and great wins. I look forward to this one...
"She has the ability to come out against all different types of players, no matter how big they hit or how strong they are. She's able to take pace really well, and play her own game and make you hit lots of balls. You really gotta be patient against her. I look forward to it. Like I said, I've had really tough losses against her here, but in many of those matches, I learned so much." postmatch interview
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#14 s13 Marion Bartoli FRA d #203 wc Olivia Sanchez FRA 7-5, 6-2 Thu-dark-Fri
Marion serving, and Olivia and Marion driving backhands
#15 s14 Flavia Pennetta ITA d #60 Roberta Vinci ITA 6-1, 6-1 Wed
Roberta volleying a backhand, and Flavia driving one
#16 s15 Aravane Rezai FRA d #64 Angelique Kerber GER 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 Wed
Angelique serving, and Aravane driving a backhand
Angelique defeated Aravane in straight sets at Melbourne in January. Aravane said: "I want to forget about the Australian Open, because that wasn't a match, really, and when I lost I lost because I made the mistakes, so I don't want to take this match as a baseline. I mean, I was not the same player. I missed a lot of points back then, and today I fought from one end to the other, so I have another mindset, and this is what made the difference today." postmatch interview
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#17 s16 Yanina Wickmayer BEL d #54 Sybille Bammer AUT 7-6(4), 1-6, 7-5 ppd-Fri
Sybille about to swat aforehand, and Yanina about to connect with a backhand
Yanina said: "I knew it was going to be tough. I know [Sybille is] really a good player on clay. She's a lefty, but she varies a lot; therefore, there was not much pace or rhythm in the match. I wanted to get into the match. During the second set I didn't play really well, but she played better. And then during the third set I was really into the match and I fought until the end. That's all I could do, to try and continue and fight back during the rallies and fight again." postmatch interview
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#18 s17 Francesca Schiavone ITA d #146 q Sophie Ferguson AUS 6-2, 6-2 ppd-Thu
Sophie volleying a backhand, and Francesca's forehand drive
#19 s18 Shahar Peer ISR d #125 LL Bethanie Mattek-Sands USA 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 Thu
#20 s19 Nadia Petrova RUS d #45 Agnes Szavay HUN 6-1, 6-2 Wed
Nadia following a forehand, and Agnes's backhand drive
*#99 Anastasia Rodionova AUS d #22 s21 Vera Zvonareva RUS 6-4, 6-4 Thu
Vera following a forehand, and Anastasia driving one
#23 s22 Justine Henin BEL d #78 Klara Zakopalova CZE 6-3, 6-3 Thu-dark-Fri
Justine driving a forehand, Klara about to launch a backhand, and Justine complimenting Klara after match point
Justine said: "it was a difficult day for everyone yesterday [due to the rain]. At some point I thought, 'I'm gonna play' and then 'I'm not gonna play' and then 'I'm gonna play.' So it was really difficult, but I just tried to keep focused.
"It was really dark last night when we played from the beginning of the match, and at the end, both of us, we couldn't see anything, so it was really I mean, it was very strange. But I was leading. I did a good job. In these conditions it was a good job, and then I came back pretty confident on the court today. I just had to finish a good job, and that was good enough. So I felt pretty good out there."
About playing Maria Sharapova in the 3rd round, Justine said: "It's gonna be an interesting match. Comes very early, of course, third round, but I expect a big fight as we always had in the past. It's gonna be very exciting to play her again, in the second career. I think I'll have to raise my level and really put the intensity, the concentration, and the motivation is gonna be really high just to keep going in this tournament. I know it's gonna be a tough match, but I feel ready for it...
"I didn't see any match of Maria since I'm back, I would say, because she's been troubled last few months with injuries and everything. So I didn't see her play on any surface. On the clay last time was when I played her here five years ago. So I don't have a lot of things to say about that. She's a real fighter, of course, and everyone knows everything she did in the past. She remains someone very, very strong. Because she has the fighting spirit, it's gonna be a question of attitude and just try to be aggressive. I want to win the match tomorrow." postmatch interview
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#24 s23 Daniela Hantuchova SVK d #38 Olga Govortsova BLR 7-5, 6-3 ppd-Fri
*#55 Polona Hercog SLO d #25 s24 Lucie Safarova CZE 6-1, 6-2 Wed
*#186 q Anastasia Pivovarova RUS d #26 s25 Jie Zheng CHN 6-4, 6-3 ppd-Fri
Jie and Anastasia driving forehands, and Anastasia after winning a point
#27 s26 Dominika Cibulkova SVK d #128 Varvara Lepchenko USA 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 Wed
Varvara picking up a low forehand, and Dominika's backhand drive
#28 s27 Alona Bondarenko UKR d #51 Magdalena Rybarikova SVK 6-3, 6-3 Thu
#29 s28 Alisa Kleybanova RUS d #41 Ana Ivanovic SRB 6-3, 6-0 Thu
Ana following a forehand, and Alisa ready to fire one
Alisa hit 16 winners with only 8 unforced errors; Ana had 17 winners, but with 17 errors, including 7 double faults. Alisa converted 5 of 6 break points; Ana converted only 1 of 6. match stats
2008 French Open champion Ana said: "I don't think I played that bad, actually. For a while I think [Alisa] didn't miss a ball at all. She made so many winners, too. It was just very hard, because many important points she played really, really well, and I didn't think I did too much wrong out there, you know. I was also a little bit unlucky with so many line calls on my serve and just everything going out. It was a combination of a few things, but she played a well match today." postmatch interview
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#30 s29 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova RUS d #92 Jill Craybas USA 6-4, 6-1 ppd-Fri
#31 s30 Maria Kirilenko RUS d #90 Yvonne Meusburger AUT 6-3, 6-3 Wed
Maria serving, Yvonne driving a backhand, and Maria lining up a forehand
Maria hit 32 winners with only 14 unforced errors; Yvonne had 10 winners, with 3 errors. Maria converted 6 of 12 break points against Yvonne; Yvonne scored on 3 of 5 break points against Maria. match stats
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#32 s31 Alexandra Dulgheru ROU d #43 Timea Bacsinszky SUI 6-4, 6-2 Wed
Timea and Alexandra driving forehand and backhand
*#46 Aleksandra Wozniak CAN d #33 s32 Kateryna Bondarenko UKR 6-4, 6-1 ppd-Thu
Aleksandra said: "I was hitting really well, the ball long and deep. That's what you had to do against [Kateryna]. She's a pretty good player to win against Venus, a lot of top 10 players, so she also had the experience." postmatch interview
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*#133 q Chanelle Scheepers RSA d #44 Gisela Dulko ARG 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 Wed
Gisela and Chanelle driving forehand and backhand
Gisela defeated #11 Victoria Azarenka in the 1st round on Sunday, but by Tuesday was feeling very ill.
Gisela said: "Yesterday, after my doubles match, I started feeling sick. I was throwing up all day and couldn't eat or drink for over 24 hours. I was feeling very weak during the match and had to see the doctor right after. He told me I have a fever and a virus and right now, I feel terrible and can't move. I'll wait for him to do more tests."
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*#107 wc Jarmila Groth AUS d #69 Kimiko Date Krumm JPN 6-0, 6-3 Thu
Kimiko serving, and Jarmila driving a backhand
39-year-old Kimiko was the oldest player to reach the 2nd round of the French Open since 1985. She played the match despite suffering from a very painful right calf injury.
Kimiko said: "Yesterday I took an MRI. I went to the clinic, and doctor said, of course, 'Don't play. It's too risky...' But I want to try do my best... So that's why I decide to play." postmatch interview
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#97 Akgul Amanmuradova UZB d #113 Johanna Larsson SWE 7-6(2), 6-2 Wed
Johanna and Akgul driving backhands
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French Open, 3rd Rd Fri-Sat May 28-29 11am
loser's prize: €42,000 = US $53,138 ; points: 160
#1 s1 Serena Williams USA d #30 s29 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova RUS 6-1, 1-6, 6-2 Sat
Serena serving, and Anastasia and Serena driving backhands
Serena, feeling ill, called for the trainer during the 2nd set, and took some medication. Serena said: "It was definitely a weird match. [Anastasia is] obviously a good player. I just ran out of energy there. I'm fighting a cold and sickness—but I'm feeling better now. I definitely wasn't at my best today but I'm happy to win, especially against a player that's on the up and up." WTA story
Anastasia said: "I think I had a few chances in the third set. You never know. Doesn't mean I still wouldn't lose. I think I should actually take something positive from this match also, because [Serena is] No. 1 in the world and I played three sets against her." postmatch interview
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#2 s2 Venus Williams USA d #27 s26 Dominika Cibulkova SVK 6-3, 6-4 Fri
Venus serving, Dominika about to connect with a forehand, and Venus driving a backhand
Venus said: "I've been, I think, doing everything well. I'm moving well and serving well, playing the closer points well. That feels good.
"More than anything I've been fortunate enough not to get caught up in the rain, so I don't know how that happened, but last year I did get caught in the rain. I think I had like two matches incomplete at once, which was terrible. I guess maybe this year it wasn't my turn." postmatch interview
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#3 s3 Caroline Wozniacki DEN d #32 s31 Alexandra Dulgheru ROU 6-3, 6-4 Fri
Caroline serving, Alexandra and Caroline following forehands, and Caro after match point
#4 s4 Jelena Jankovic SRB d #28 s27 Alona Bondarenko UKR 6-4, 7-6(3) Sat
Jelena serving, Alona demonstrating "racquet back," ready to swat a backhand, and Jelena's forehand drive
#5 s5 Elena Dementieva RUS d #46 Aleksandra Wozniak CAN 6(2)-7, 6-3, 6-4 Fri
Alexandra driving a backhand, Elena after lightly tapping a forehand, and after match point
*#31 s30 Maria Kirilenko RUS d #6 s6 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 Fri
Maria serving, Svetlana following a backhand, Maria following a forehand, and after match point
Svetlana said: "You cannot play all the time great. It's up ands downs. It's all right from up ands downs, so I have not been playing well this clay court season and this season, but it happens. I'll be back. I have the game. It's fine. It's just a matter of time." postmatch interview - the match "as it happened"
Maria, who suffered from pain in her left knee last year, tried a new treatment after Wimbledon, and has been an improved player this season.
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#7 s7 Samantha Stosur AUS d #186 q Anastasia Pivovarova RUS 6-3, 6-2 Sat
Samantha and Anastasia driving forehand and backhand, and Sam after match point
Samantha struck 24 winners with 16 unforced errors; Anastasia, playing in her second ever Grand Slam main draw, hit just 7 winners, with 18 errors. Samantha converted 4 of 8 break points she held against Anastasia; Anastasia scored on the one break point she reached against Samantha. match stats
Samantha said: "I thought I played quite well today. Very just on the ball and did what I had to do and got on and off. Nice to be in the fourth round now." postmatch interview - the match "as it happened"
About playing either Maria Sharapova or Justine Henin in the 4th round on Monday, Samantha said: "I think against either of them I'm gonna have to serve well and serve smart. Obviously have to get a lot of first serves in, and not put too much pressure on my second serve, and just be smart."
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*#18 s17 Francesca Schiavone ITA d #12 s11 Na Li CHN 6-4, 6-2 Fri
Na and Francesca driving forehands, and Francesca taking flight after match point
*#23 s22 Justine Henin BEL d #13 s12 Maria Sharapova RUS 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 Sat-dark-Sun
Maria serving on Saturday, Justine and Maria driving forehand and backhand, and Maria after winning the 2nd set... row 2: Justine serving on Sunday, Maria and Justine driving backhands, and Maria congratulating Justine after match point
The match was stopped by darkness on Saturday with the score one set apiece. On Sunday, Justine served to open the 3rd set. Maria broke Justine, and held serve to reach 2-0. Justine fell behind 0-40 while serving in the third game, but recovered and held. Then Justine broke Maria to get back on serve, held her own, and broke Maria's serve again.
Justine said: "That [third] game was so important, because at 3-love with two breaks, it [would have been] difficult to come back. It was difficult to start with my serve today, as [Maria] did put a lot of pressure. I knew she was going to come very aggressive as she finished the match last night. So I was ready for it, but apparently not enough. I was really feeling under pressure at the time, so not playing a lot of first serves in my first game, and also until love-40 at 2-0. So at that time I just stay focused on every point and played a few good first serves. I came to the net, and that gave me my confidence back. I really needed that game. After that, everything was easier to go to the net and play more aggressive." postmatch interview
Maria said: "I definitely played some good tennis, but it wasn't enough to win the match. At the end of the day, no matter how good or bad you play, [Justine is] the one with the W...
"I didn't really make any easy unforced errors in [the third game on Sunday]. I thought she did a good job of just being solid. She served her way out of the game really well; but at 2-1, I was a little bit more tentative than I was in the first three games. She started being a little bit more aggressive, and she started feeling much better about her game." postmatch interview
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*#19 s18 Shahar Peer ISR d #14 s13 Marion Bartoli FRA 7-6(7), 6-2 Sat
Marion serving, Shahar driving a backhand, and after winning a point
Marion said: "I had occasions to take the first set. I did not manage to take the first set. Conditions were not to my advantage today. The courts were wet and slippery, and [Shahar] is more at ease in that kind of conditions than I am. There were some quite good points in this match. Overall I believe that I have done a correct match, and the audience encouraged me to the end. It was very nice...
"Clay will always be a bigger challenge for me than other surfaces, but every year Roland Garros is my main objective, and I will continue to do so until the end of my career." postmatch interview
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#15 s14 Flavia Pennetta ITA d #55 Polona Hercog SLO 6-3, 6-0 Fri
Polona and Flavia driving forehands, and Flavia after match point
*#20 s19 Nadia Petrova RUS d #16 s15 Aravane Rezai FRA 6-7(2), 6-4, 10-8 Fri-dark-Sat
Aravane and Nadia driving backhands
Nadia said: "Yesterday has been tough for both of us. We both wanted to win so much, and we seemed to like tense a little bit yesterday. But today, all I had to do is just be very consistent, stay closer to the baseline and go for my shots and be very aggressive on [Aravane's] serve, especially the second serve. I think that paid off. I played very consistent tennis today." postmatch interview
Aravane said: "I wanted to serve much better, and [Nadia] put me under pressure. It was very tough to control emotion, and I couldn't serve very well. I knew that serve was very important, because I knew I could break her, so I wanted to do well. I put myself more pressure, and I couldn't serve better than her." postmatch interview
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*#24 s23 Daniela Hantuchova SVK d #17 s16 Yanina Wickmayer BEL 7-5, 6-3 Sat
Yanina and Daniela driving backhands, and Daniela after match point
Daniela hit 34 winners with only 23 unforced errors; Yanina had 22 winners, with 22 errors. Daniela converted 3 of 4 break points against Yanina; Yanina scored on 1 of 4 break points against Daniela. match stats
Daniela said: "There are still so many goals that I haven't achieved, and I'm doing anything I can to be able to get them one day. I'm working hard on and off the court, especially fitness wise. I've been working with [fitness trainer] Pat Etcheberry. It's been a great success for me being able to have him on the team. I think that transforms to the tennis court as well. I'm more confident and I know I can last in the long points. Yeah, I feel like I'm doing the right things." postmatch interview
Yanina missed part of the clay court season due to surgery to remove an elbow bone spur. Yanina said: "[Daniela] didn't make many mistakes. She played very well. I haven't had enough matches on clay, and I think she played a great match today." postmatch interview
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*#36 Yaroslava Shvedova KAZ d #29 s28 Alisa Kleybanova RUS 6-2, 4-6, 6-0 Sat
*#133 q Chanelle Scheepers RSA d #97 Akgul Amanmuradova UZB 6-3, 6-3 Fri
Akgul and Chanelle driving forehand and backhand
*#107 wc Jarmila Groth AUS d #99 Anastasia Rodionova AUS 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 Sat
Anastasia and Jarmila driving forehands, and Jarmila after match point
Jarmila said: "I thought I moved very well today. My left handed shot worked today as well [Jarmila is mostly right handed, but ambidextrous]. Couple lobs and passing shots went well, too. In the end I thought I played well. I held my nerves somehow. I fought very well, and I thought I played the big points in the end pretty good." postmatch interview
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French Open, 4th Rd Sun-Mon May 30-31 11am
loser's prize: €70,000 = US $88,564 ; points: 280
#1 s1 Serena Williams USA d #19 s18 Shahar Peer ISR 6-2, 6-2 Mon
Serena serving, Shahar following a backhand, Serena driving one, and after match point
Serena said: "I felt really consistent today. I felt like I was hitting the right shots and the balls were going right. It's always good to feel that way. I actually felt like I could play and move better." postmatch interview
About playing Samantha Stosur in the quarterfinals, Serena said: "Sam is actually a wonderful clay court player. I think she proved that last year, and this year I think she's only lost twice on the clay. So she's someone you can't overlook. She has a good chance to go all the way... She's fast, strong, and has a great serve. You know, I don't know if she has a real weakness. She plays a real all around game, so I think that's what makes her like a real modern, really good player...She's beaten me before, so I have to be on my best game."
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*#20 s19 Nadia Petrova RUS d #2 s2 Venus Williams USA 6-4, 6-3 Sun
Nadia serving, Venus and Nadia driving forehand and backhand, and Nadia after match point
Nadia had been 0-4 against Venus before this match.
Nadia said: "Today's match was just about going out there and performing my best. All I just was really try to be consistent and play my game... Very focused, very sure what I had to do. It was actually my first win against Venus... Recently I beat Serena, so I knew that the game would be similar... to mean the big serves, big strokes... definitely Venus is playing different to her sister. She tries to cut the points short. She goes a lot winners down the line; comes to the net. That's the difference between them." postmatch interview
Venus said: "[Nadia] served well. She didn't really make a lot of errors today. I didn't find a good rhythm. You just have to have a really good rhythm out there on the clay. I didn't make the plays that I was anticipating to make... I don't think she did anything super special, but she just played a little bit more consistently." postmatch interview
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#3 s3 Caroline Wozniacki DEN d #15 s14 Flavia Pennetta ITA 7-6(5), 6(4)-7, 6-2 Sun
Caroline serving, Flavia and Caroline driving forehand and backhand, and Caro after match point
Caroline said: "It was a fun match, but... it was such a tough match, such a long match, playing three hours out there. The crowd really got into it, and it was really a nice atmosphere out there...
"My ankle [which was sprained in Charleston] is feeling much better. I have some good tape, and it really helps me...
"I've always said that I prefer hardcourts and grass, but I've done some good results on clay, as well. I think I can call myself an all around player." postmatch interview
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#4 s4 Jelena Jankovic SRB d #24 s23 Daniela Hantuchova SVK 6-4, 6-2 Mon
Jelena twisting a serve, Daniela firing a cannonball, Jelena following a backhand, and Daniela congratulating Jelena after match point
Jelena said: "I am SO excited to be in the quarterfinals here in Paris! Was a real battle today, happy to move through!" Jelena at Facebook
Daniela said: "I felt like Jelena played a very good match and was more solid in the crucial points. In the first set I had chances... Anyway I think I had a very good tournament. I played great the first week. The fans were great to me as always." Daniela at Twitter
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#5 s5 Elena Dementieva RUS d #133 q Chanelle Scheepers RSA 6-1, 6-3 Sun
Elena following a floating forehand, Chanelle following a backhand, Elena driving one, and after match point
#7 s7 Samantha Stosur AUS d #23 s22 Justine Henin BEL 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 Mon
Samantha's service toss, Justine and Samantha driving forehands, and Sam after match point
Sam double-faulted on her first match point, but followed a good serve with an overhead smash on her second.
Samantha said: "I just tried to shake it off and tried to have a laugh at myself, not worry about it and get the next one in... Going into a quarterfinal, I couldn't probably hope to be in a better position... Obviously beating Justine is going to give me lots and lots of confidence for the next match." AP story - AFP story - postmatch interview
It was Justine's first loss at Roland Garros since 2004. Justine said: "Of course it is disappointing. I mean, never easy to lose, and especially in this kind of situation... Samantha was the best player on the court. She took her chances, the opportunities... She has a lot of qualities. She really starts to be very consistent, especially on the clay. I mean, probably her best surface. She can do a lot of good things." postmatch interview
Samantha struck 26 winners with 33 unforced errors; Justine hit only 14 winners, with 29 errors. Samantha converted 4 of 6 break points she held against Justine; Justine scored on 3 of 7 break points she reached against Samantha. Samantha won 85 points; Justine, 77. match stats - as it happened
Samantha had played Justine only once before, in the final last month in Stuttgart, where Justine defeated Sam 6-4, 2-6, 6-1.
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#18 s17 Francesca Schiavone ITA d #31 s30 Maria Kirilenko RUS 6-4, 6-4 Sun
Francesca serving, Maria and Francesca driving forehand and backhand, and Francesca after match point
Francesca said: "It was very close. But I think on 4-all, both sets, I played better. I mean, pretty much more aggressive than [Maria], and I took my chance." postmatch interview
About playing Caroline Woziacki in the quarterfinals, Francesca said: "Will be tough for sure. She's great player. She has been No. 2. She played already one final in Grand Slam. So I think I have to play my tennis and to be concentrated. It's a good opportunity for me, and I'm ready to play... I'm physically ready to fight, to run, and to play three hours. We'll see."
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#36 Yaroslava Shvedova KAZ v #107 wc Jarmila Groth AUS Mon cL m4
Yaroslava serving, Jarmila driving a backhand, Yaroslava running down a forehand, and after match point
Yaroslava will play Jelena Jankovic in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. Jelena leads Yaroslava 2-1 in career matches. Their last meeting was on an indoor hardcourt in Moscow last year, when Jelena defeated Yaroslava, 6-4, 5-7, 6-1. They have never before met on a clay court.
Yaroslava said: "I was working hard for so many years, and now it's working out... Jelena and I played twice last year. It was an unbelievable match at the US Open [Yaroslava defeated Jelena 6-3, 6(4)-7, 7-6(6), in the 2nd round]. I still remember it. I still remember the feelings and emotions." WTA story
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French Open, QFs, Tue-Wed Jun 1-2 2pm
loser's prize: €140,000 = US $177,128 ; points: 500
*#7 s7 Samantha Stosur AUS d #1 s1 Serena Williams USA 6-2, 6(2)-7, 8-6 Wed
Samantha serving, Serena and Samantha driving backhand and forehand, and Sam after match point
Sam struck 30 winners (6 aces) with 24 unforced errors (1 double fault); Serena only 39 winners (13 aces), but had 46 errors (9 DFs). Samantha converted 5 of 13 break points she held against Serena; Serena scored on only 2 of 7 break points she reached against Samantha. Sam won 117 points; Serena, 105. match stats - as it happened
Samantha had broken Serena's serve to take a 5-3 lead in the 2nd set, but Serena broke back when Sam was serving for the match. Samantha said: "After losing that game, things kind of stepped up a notch from [Serena]. I didn't know if I was gonna get another chance. That third set just kind of hung in there, and I was behind the whole time serving second. Just tried to hang in and wait for another opportunity. Then I got one at 6-all, and thankfully I took it." postmatch interview
Serena held a match point when Samantha was serving at 4-5 in the 3rd set, but could not convert it. Serena said: "She hit a good serve. I don't have anything to regret on that point... [Samantha is] a good player. I made so many errors, and I definitely was nowhere near my best today. But she played really well." postmatch interview
About playing Jelena Jankovic in the semifinals on Thursday, Samantha said: "We played each other a couple times recently and are one each. I know [Jelena is] not going to give me anything.
"It's a bit different from playing Justine and Serena. I'm gonna I'm still gonna have to play the way I want to play: be aggressive and do what I want to do and try and dictate to her a little bit more. I know she's gonna hit tons and tons of balls in. I have to be prepared to be patient and wait for my opportunity a bit more."
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#18 s17 Francesca Schiavone ITA d #3 s3 Caroline Wozniacki DEN 6-2, 6-3 Tue
Francesca serving, Caroline following a backhand, Francesca driving a forehand, and after match point
The win put Francesca into the first Grand Slam singles semifinal of her career. Francesca struck 25 winners with only 13 unforced errors; Caroline hit only 10 winners, with 17 errors. Francesca converted 6 of 8 break points she held against Caroline; Caroline scored on 3 of 6 break points she reached against Francesca. Francesca won 59 points; Caroline, 37. match stats - as it happened
Francesca said: "I think I played very consistent, and I didn't give [Caroline] any chance to let her play easy. So I keep going to play long and sometimes short and tried to come to the net. It was a good mix to win this match... I tried to serve good, and to put pressure a lot with the forehand, and it was good." postmatch interview
Caroline said: "[Francesca] played well. She played with a lot of spin. She didn't make a lot of mistakes. She played aggressive. She was playing better than me today. I was always one step behind and couldn't really dominate the way I wanted to... I think she's played like that the whole tournament." postmatch interview
About playing Elena Dementieva in the semifinals, Francesca said: "Will be very interesting match. I know [Elena]. I think she knows me. We grow up a little bit together. We played many tournaments together. I respect her. She's a great athlete. You know how she is, Elena. But will be good match. We are good athletes physically and mentally strong. I think who going to win really the best one Thursday."
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#4 s4 Jelena Jankovic SRB d #36 Yaroslava Shvedova KAZ 7-5, 6-4 Wed
Jelena serving, Yaroslava and Jelena driving forehand and backhand, and Jelena after match point
Jelena hit 19 winners with 17 unforced errors; Yaroslava had 30 winners, but with 25 errors. Jelena scored on 6 of 8 break points she held against Yaroslava; Yaroslava converted only 4 of 8 break points she held against Jelena. Jelena scored 69 points; Yaroslava, 61. match stats - tourney story
Jelena said: "I got broken in the first game of the match, and [Yaroslava] took her opportunities. She played really well in the beginning, especially in the beginning of the first set. She was really loose; she was going after her shots; she did really no mistake; she served very well, had a lot of first serves in.
"But then I just tried to stay positive, and I waited for my chances. I started to get a look at her second serve. That's where I tried to be aggressive, and I tried to attack and put pressure on her. That was the key, especially in that first set. Because then she backed up, and I could play more offensively and take that first set. It was tough. She played really well." postmatch interview
Yaroslava said: "It was a nice match. I was nervous today, so I couldn't show my best game. But I'm proud of myself that I was still fighting and trying to do something. It was working sometimes... [Jelena is] a good athlete, and she been getting most of my balls. I was trying to attack, but still she was getting [them], and I was getting tired." postmatch interview
Jelena will play Samantha Stosur in the semifinals on Thursday. Jelena leads Samantha 3-1 in career matches, but Sam's win came the last time they played, in the 4th round this year in Miami, 6-1, 7-6(9). Jelena defeated Sam about 10 days earlier, in the semifinals at Indian Wells, 6-2, 6-4. All four of their meetings have been on hardcourts, but both players have fine all-terrain capabilities.
Jelena said: "[Samantha] plays really well. She's beaten two really good players, Justine and Serena. Shows she's in top form. It will be a tough match. I have played against her this year, but on hardcourt. So this will be a different match. We're playing on clay. I just want to go out there and play my game and give my maximum, and what happens, happens."
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#5 s5 Elena Dementieva RUS d #20 s19 Nadia Petrova RUS 2-6, 6-2, 6-0 Tue
Elena serving, Nadia driving a forehand, Elena following a backhand, and after match point
Elena now leads Nadia 7-4 in career matches, and Elena has won the last five times they have played.
Elena hit 25 winners with 24 unforced errors; Nadia had 27 winners, with 27 errors. Elena scored on 6 of 10 break points she held against Nadia; Nadia converted only 3 of 11 break points she held against Elena. match stats
Both players were slowed by leg injuries which were not helped by cold and rainy conditions: Nadia has an adductor muscle strain; Elena's injury is to her left calf.
Elena said: "I think probably this is the most difficult performance since I played my first time to get to the semifinals [in 2004]... It's really it was a difficult challenge to win this match today against Nadia. I think we both were struggling with a little bit of injuries today... I'm just very happy to be in the semifinal and have another chance to play here." postmatch interview
Nadia said: "I left everything out there on the court, and I, you know, I fought till the end. It's a bit disappointing, because, you know, I felt I had chances. But being hurt in the quarterfinal, it's not a fun thing. Now all I can do is just dress and move on, because things are going to get better." postmatch interview
Elena will play Francesca Schiavone in the semifinals on Thursday. Elena leads Francesca 6-4 in career matches, and has won the last three times they have played. They have met only once before on clay, in the 2005 Fed Cup quarterfinals, when Francesca, holding 4 match points in the 2nd set, was unable to score, and Elena defeated Francesca 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-0.
Elena said: "Francesca is a very good player. She likes to play on clay courts. I think it really suits her game. She has a great variation in her game. She always had good results playing on clay courts. I think she's in a great shape for the moment, and that's gonna be a tough match for me."
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French Open, SFs, Thu Jun 3 2pm
loser's prize: €280,000 = US $354,256 ; points: 900
*#7 s7 Samantha Stosur AUS d #4 s4 Jelena Jankovic SRB 6-1, 6-2
Samantha serving, Jelena and Samantha driving forehands, and Sam after match point
Samantha said: "I probably couldn't have asked to play a much better match today in the semifinals. So to do that today and now be in my first final is just incredible...
"I was expecting a tough match, and I was prepared for that. When things were going the way they were, I didn't doubt it for a second, or wonder if I could keep it up, was it going to turn around. I just kept playing the next point." postmatch interview
Jelena said: "The whole time I didn't really have a rhythm. Samantha played really well. She served well. Overall, you know, she played quite solid. I felt heavy on my feet. I didn't really move out there. That resulted in a negative way on every shot, because especially on the return I didn't have a good reaction. And then when I got into some of the points, when I had chances, I made bad mistakes. It wasn't me. It wasn't my game out there. Unfortunately, I lost. She was the better player today." postmatch interview
Samantha will play Francesca Schiavone in the 2010 French Open final on Saturday. Both are playing in their first-ever Grand Slam singles final. Samantha leads Francesca 4-1 in career matches, and Sam has won the last four times they have played. Their most recent meeting was last year in the final Osaka, where Sam won her first ever WTA singles title, defeating Francesca 7-5, 6-1. They have met twice on red clay, and Samantha won both times, most recently in the 1st round last year at Roland Garros, 6-4, 6-2.
Samantha said: "I think beating the caliber of players I've played the last three rounds definitely helps me for Saturday's match. I've beaten all those, so why can't I win one more? Again, it is a final, so it's different, but it definitely gives me huge confidence going into the next match, and hopefully for the rest of my career... It's one of those moments that I just want to enjoy. Win or lose, I want to enjoy it and make the most of that opportunity, because you never know if that's gonna happen again."
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*#18 s17 Francesca Schiavone ITA d #5 s5 Elena Dementieva RUS 7-6(3) retired—left calf injury
Francesca serving, Elena driving a backhand, Francesca running down a forehand, and after winning a point
Elena said: "I have a tear in my left calf, so it's very painful to even walk. I got it after my second match, so I aggravate it during these matches. Today was a sharp pain. It was a bit too much. Couldn't really move on the court.
"I have it since my second round, so... even with this pain, I was trying to play, but I don't think I could go longer than that. I was very close to stop the match in my third round with Aleksandra [Wozniak], but I was able to win this one. Then I had a day off, so it was a little it was getting a little bit better on the day off because I didn't practice at all. By playing, especially moving on clay court, it's just getting worse. You aggravate it during your movement because it's very hard to control yourself on the court." postmatch interview
Francesca said: "I knew that [Elena] was injured somewhere but I didn't ask, because most important thing is to keep going with my playing. When I saw her [coming over to say she was retiring from the match], I thought, 'Do you need something?...'
"No, was not easier for me. I hope now she's good. I spoke now with her, and I hope she can come back in Wimbledon good." postmatch interview
About the final, Francesca said: "I'm really happy to be here. I will go on the court and I will fight at the best that I can do. Now is time to relax, and Saturday will be the time to put everything that I work until now."
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French Open, Final, Sat Jun 5 3pm (9am EDT 6am PDT NBC-TV)
loser's prize: €560,000 = US $708,512 ; points: 1400
winner's prize: €1,120,000 = US $1,417,024 ; pts: 2000
*#18 s17 Francesca Schiavone ITA d #7 s7 Samantha Stosur AUS 6-4, 7-6(2)
Samantha serving, Francesca ready to lightly tap a forehand, Sam driving a backhand, Francesca volleying one, row 2: Francesca about to serve, Samantha firing a forehand on the run, Francesca driving one, and after match point
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French Open, Doubles Final, Fri Jun 4 3pm
losers' prize: €160,000 = US $202,432
winners' prize: €320,000 = US $404,864
s1 Serena Williams & Venus Williams USA d s12 Kveta Peschke CZE & Katarina Srebotnik SLO 6-2, 6-3
Katarina & Kveta, and Venus & Serena (their 11th Grand Slam doubles title as a team, they also won at RG in 2000)
French Open, Mixed Doubles Final, Thu Jun 3
losers' prize: €50,000 = US $63,260
winners' prize: €100,000 = US $126,520
s6 Katarina Srebotnik SLO & Nenad Zimonjic SRB d Yaroslava Shvedova KAZ & Julian Knowle AUT 4-6, 7-6(5), (11-9)
Katarina (her 4th Grand Slam XD title, and her 3rd at Roland Garros) and Nenad (they also won at RG in 2006)
French Open, Girls Singles Final, Sun Jun 6 c2 m2
*wta#1096 Elina Svitolina UKR d wta#724 Ons Jabeur TUN 6-2, 7-5
French Open, Girls Doubles Final, Sat Jun 5 noon c2
s5 Timea Babos HUN & Sloane Stephens USA d Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino ESP & Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor ESP 6-2, 6-3
French Open, Qualifying Finals Fri May 21 10am
Q-1st losers: €2,200 = US $2,783 ; 2 points
Q-2nd losers: €4,000 = US $5,061 ; 40 points Q-Final losers: €8,000 = US $10,122 ; 50 points; qualifier: 60 points
*#127 Shuai Zhang CHN d #106 Zuzana Kucova SVK 6-2, 6-4
#110 Ksenia Pervak RUS d #122 Evgeniya Rodina RUS 7-5, 6-3
#114 Simona Halep ROU d #125 Bethanie Mattek-Sands USA 6-4, 6(7)-7, 6-4
#119 Kaia Kanepi EST d #137 Vesna Manasieva RUS 6-0, 6-0
*#186 Anastasia Pivovarova RUS d #131 Michaella Krajicek NED 6-4, 6(5)-7, 6-2
*#150 Kurumi Nara JPN d #132 Monica Niculescu ROU 4-6, 7-6(3), 10-8
#133 Chanelle Scheepers RSA d #165 Zuzana Ondraskova CZE 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-0
*#202 Nuria Llagostera Vives ESP d #135 Kathrin Woerle GER 7-6(3), 7-5
#146 Sophie Ferguson AUS d #166 Lourdes Dominguez Lino ESP 6-4, 6-3
#151 Ekaterina Ivanova RUS d #163 Oksana Kalashnikova GEO 6-1, 7-6(0)
#168 Heidi El Tabakh CAN d #199 Aniko Kapros HUN 6-1, 6-1
*#179 Misaki Doi JPN d #171 Vitalia Diatchenko RUS 7-6(3), 6-0
French Open, Withdrawals
#10 Kim Clijsters BEL tore muscle in left foot in Fed Cup match
#47 Sabine Lisicki GER left ankle injury
#48 Shuai Peng CHN illness? had dizziness at Strasbourg
#84 Anna-Lena Groenefeld GER left foot injury
#91 Sania Mirza IND right wrist
#108 Urszula Radwanska POL back injury & surgery
#138 Viktoriya Kutuzova UKR
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All sets in doubles at Roland Garros are tiebreak sets (unlike singles where a final set—3rd for women, 5th for men—must be won by two games).
competition at Roland Garros in 2009: the first point won after 40-40 wins the game. Also, the 10-point tiebreaker is used in mixed doubles instead of a third set.
tie against Estonia on April 24. Kim's next scheduled tourney is at Eastbourne on June 14, if her foot heals normally, she should be ready to play by then.
Link to many postmatch interview & match highlight videos of WTA players at the
: the current top 20 Women's Tennis rankings with player photos, links, and bio info.
