French Open 2016: Venus Williams looking to make the quarter finals – her first in Paris in a decade

Five of the first 10 times Venus Williams entered the French Open, she made it to at least the quarterfinals, including a run to the final in 2002.

Williams can return to the round of eight at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament for the first time in a decade if she can win her fourth-round match Monday against No. 8 Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland.

She first competed at the French Open as a teen in 1997. Nearly 20 years later, Williams is the oldest woman in the field – a few weeks shy of her 36th birthday.

Venus Williams owns 7 major singles titles – 5 at Wimbledon, 2 at the U.S. Open – but has not been much of a factor at the French Open in recent years. She did not participate in the 2011 tournament, then lost in the first or second round every year from 2012-15.

Still, this will be her 44th fourth-round match at a major (she is 35-8 so far). It will be only the third for Bacsinszky, who is 26.

Williams has won both previous matches they have played against each other in straight sets, although it’s been a while: One came at the 2014 U.S. Open, the other at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

A year ago in Paris, Bacsinszky reached her lone major semifinal before losing to Williams’ young sister Serena.

“She is confident here, clearly. You know, I don’t even know the last time I played her. It’s been ages. I’m sure she’s a better player now than then,” said Venus Williams, who is seeded No. 9. “And hopefully I’m better, too.”

Source: Associated Press