Monday, June 04, 2007 Serena reaches quarterfinals
PARIS—Serena Williams overcame two breaks in the second set to beat Dinara Safina of Russia, 6-2, 6-3, Sunday and reach the quarterfinals of the French Open.
Williams, an eight-time Grand Slam champion who is trying to win her second title at Roland Garros, took a 4-0 lead in the first set, but struggled at times in the second.
The 10th-seeded Safina broke Williams at love to even the second set at 3-3, but the American then won 12 of the last 14 points.
Safina hurt herself with five double-faults, but her powerful groundstrokes keep Williams moving all over the court.
Williams, could face two-time defending champion Justine Henin in the quarterfinals. The top-ranked Belgian was to play No. 20 Sybille Bammer later Sunday.
Meanwhile, Amelie Mauresmo was unable to do what another two-time Grand Slam champion hampered by an injury, Maria Sharapova, successfully managed Saturday: deal with pain, set aside a lack of proper preparation and beat a less-experienced opponent.
The fifth-seeded Mauresmo blew a 3-0 lead in each set and lost to No. 25 Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 7-6 (3), the latest in a string of early exits at Roland Garros for the Frenchwoman.
“Well, it’s disappointing,” Mauresmo said when asked where this ranks among her French Open setbacks. “As disappointing? No, because, again, coming here, this year especially, I didn’t expect really great things to happen.”
She missed more than a month after having an appendectomy in March, then struggled with a groin injury that a trainer taped up during a timeout in the first set Saturday.
“No miracle today,” said Mauresmo, who finished with more unforced errors, fewer winners and eight double- faults. “When you’re not prepared the way you should be, then it makes it very difficult.”
Disappointed
Mauresmo let down the partisan fans at Court Philippe Chatrier that earlier saw Sharapova wince after some points and flex her problematic right shoulder after others. Still, the second-seeded Russian pulled out a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Alla Kudryavtseva.
“I can’t expect a lot from my shoulder,” said Sharapova, who double-faulted five times in the second set while getting broken three times in a row.
That put her in a 4-1 hole, but she won the last five games.
Before coming to Paris, the reigning US Open champion got a cortisone shot in the shoulder and took some time off to let the joint rest.
“The doctors have given me an OK to play with it, even though, I mean, it’s impossible to feel 100 percent healthy, even if it’s not the shoulder,” Sharapova said. “I mean, you’re always going to feel aches and pains somewhere, especially on clay courts. It’s normal. As long as I know I can’t damage anything further, then I’m cool to play.” (AP)
