Williams sisters sent home packing | Rest survives

French open 2008

The American dominance almost ended in the years French open as the Williams sisters suffered defeats in their respective third round tie ups.

Oracene Price, mother and coach to Venus and Serena Williams, stood near the steps to the locker room at the end of a long, rough day at the French Open.

First she watched eight-time major champion Serena lose a match that began a little after 11 a.m. Then she watched six-time major champion Venus lose a match that ended in near-darkness, shortly before 10 p.m. Both sisters were stunned in the third round Friday by journeywomen who never have been quarterfinalists, much less champions, at any Grand Slam tournament.


It was Flavia Pennetta, the Italian seeded 26th who beat Venus 7-5, 6-3, and was headed toward her parents for hugs and kisses and a congratulatory call from Grandma.“They just have to learn how to do the rope-a-dope as they get older,” Price said after Serena’s 6-4, 6-4 loss to No. 27 Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia.

Not only was there nary a Williams left in the French Open, there were no U.S. women left at all, because Bethanie Mattek was beaten 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 by No. 1 Maria Sharapova, whose 10 double-faults raised her total to 27 through two matches. It’s the first time in at least 40 years the United States didn’t put at least one woman into the fourth round at Roland Garros.

Now, Srebotnik will play No. 10 Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, and Pennetta will face qualifier Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain.

“I don’t want to be satisfied,” Pennetta said. “It’s Roland Garros. To even think about reaching the quarterfinals or semifinals at a tournament like this is what anyone who plays tennis dreams about.”

Is there any one to stop this spaniyard?

Spain's Three time defending Champion continewed his dominance in the clay as he over powered himself into the foruth round of the french open with a 6-1 6-3 6-1 demolition of Finn Jarkko Nieminen on Friday

The Spaniard, bidding to emulate Bjorn Borg by winning a fourth consecutive title at Roland Garros, will face either Russian 15th seed Mikhail Youzhny or Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, seeded 22nd, for a place in the quarter-finals.

Sharapova, Ivanovic, Djokovic taste victories

Novak Djokovic survived a tumble in the first set before coasting into the fourth round of the French Open with a 7-5 6-4 6-2 win over American Wayne Odesnik on Friday.

The Serbian third seed drew gasps from the crowd when he slipped behind the baseline at 5-5 in the opener and rolled over in the red clay on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
After taking time to get back on his feet, he gave himself a dusting down and then quickly returned to the task at hand by ambushing Odesnik.

Top seed Maria Sharapova was determined to keep playing her own style despite being pushed to a third set for a second straight match in a 6-2 3-6 6-2 win over Bethanie Mattek on Friday.


Sharapova displayed much of the poor timing and inconsistent shot execution that marred his first-round struggle against Evgeniya Rodina before finally prevailing over the American after three scrappy sets on Court Philippe Chatrier.

But despite another below-par display, the Russian said she would be sticking to her winning formula.

“I’m not a clay court specialist that’s going to stand 10 feet behind the baseline and retrieve balls back,” said Sharapova, who needs a win here to complete a career grand slam.

“I’m going to stick to my guns and do what I do best. I’m also going to play patiently if I want to win matches, especially against physically challenging players that hit 10 balls back.

“If I feel tired then they’re feeling 20 times more tired, because they’re the one doing all the running.”

Ana Ivanovic who never had any trouble what so ever in the french open 2008 had a yet another easy match where she completely demolished Caroline Wozniacki 6-4 6-1

The serbian who is having a great year after making to the finals of the Australian open will try to win this year's french open taking advantage of the Clay Queen Justin Henin's retirement. Ivanovic was the runner up in the 2007's Rolland garros where she lost to Justin.