Sport
In major upset, Serena Williams will not continue at French Open
Serena Williams. PHOTO/David Vincent/AP
Serena Williams lost in the first round of a major tournament for the first time, falling to Virginie Razzano of France 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 Tuesday at the French Open.
The fifth-seeded Williams was two points from victory nine times in the second set, including leading 5-1 in the tiebreaker. But the 111th-ranked player won six straight points to force a third set, and then took control of the match.
“I made so many errors today, which isn’t the game I was playing in the past,” Williams said. “That’s life.”
Williams entered the day with a 46-0 record in first-round matches at Grand Slam tournaments. She had been looking for her 14th major title, and second at Roland Garros.
On clay this year, Williams was 17-0 heading into the match with two titles. But she pulled out of her last match in the semifinals of the Italian Open with a bad back.
“I didn’t feel anything abnormal,” Williams said Tuesday when asked about the injury. “I was 100 percent healthy.”
Razzano jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the third set, but Williams won three straight games before what turned out to be an epic, 23-minute ninth game.
Williams had five break points in that final game.
