Williams in dramatic fall as Murray advances

SERENA Williams crashed to the worst Grand Slam defeat of her career yesterday when she slumped to a dramatic and thrilling 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 French Open loss to France’s world No 111 Virginie Razzano.

It was the 30-year-old American’s first ever exit at the opening round stage of her 47-event Grand Slam career and her earliest loss at a major since she was knocked out of the Australian Open second round by sister Venus in 1998.

On a night of unbearable tension on Philippe Chatrier Court, Williams saved seven match points in the ninth game of the nerve-jangling decider.

“I’m disappointed, but that’s life, things could be worse,” said 13-time Grand Slam winner Williams, who missed last year’s Roland Garros as she battled life-threatening blood clots in her lungs.

“I’ve been through so much in my life. I’m not sitting here happy. I’ve gotta figure out what I did wrong and not do it again. I fought until the end.” Williams came into the tournament with a 46-0 career record in Grand Slam first rounds.

Razzano was overjoyed by her astonishing triumph.

“You (the crowd) gave me your energy. I’m gonna have to rest.

“Thank you all for your support,” said a breathless Razzano after a three-hour struggle.

China’s Peng Shuai also advanced to the second round yesterday, joining her compatriots Li Na, the defending champion, and Zheng Jie as other Asian hopefuls were eliminated. World No 30 and 2010 Asian Games gold medallist Peng, beat Austrian Tamira Paszek 6-4, 63 and will face Lourdes Dominguez Lino of Spain for a place in the final 32. Peng, whose personal best of world No 14 makes her the secondhighest ranked Chinese player ever after Li, had little difficulty facing off the challenge from Paszek.

Also yesterday Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki beat Eleni Daniilidou Greece 6-0 6-1.

In men’s singles action, Taiwan’s Lu Yen-Hsun, ranked 59, lost a heartbreaking five-setter to Jeremy Chardy of France.

Chardy, the world No 54, edged out Lu 6-4, 6-1, 6-7 (3/7), 3-6, 11-9 over four hours in one of the most closely-fought contests so far at Roland Garros this year. In the day’s first Asian match, Japanese women’s singles veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm was routed by Italy’s Francesca Schiavone.

Date-Krumm, 41, was no match for the 31-year-old Schiavone, the 2010 champion who was beaten last year by Li. Date-Krumm is the third oldest woman to ever play at Roland Garros in the Open era but manages to remain in the top 100.

On the men’s side, Japan’s 68ranked Tatsuma Ito, a Roland Garros debutant, lost in straight sets to British fourth seed Andy Murray.

Ito put up some resistance in the second set but Murray broke twice in the third to seal his 6-1, 7-5, 6-0 win over Ito after just 95 minutes. SapaAFP