Saturday, May 29, 2010

Serena Williams plays through dizziness to get to the round of 16 in Paris

Top French Open seed Serena Williams and former junior world number 1 (and 29th seed) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova played each other for the first time today. Williams won the first set 6-1, but in the second set, she experienced dizziness, as well as more confident shot-making from her opponent. Williams was given some medicine by the trainer, and--though she lost the second set 1-6, she prevailed at 6-2 in the third.

Williams said she didn't know what the problem was, but thought she might be coming down with a cold or similar illness. She and her partner, Venus Williams, received a walkover in their doubles match, which gives her more of an opportunity to rest.

4th seed Jelena Jankovic had a tough opponent in 27th seed Alona Bondarenko, but she made it through, with a 6-4, 7-6 win. Shahar Peer defeated Marion Bartoli, the last Frenchwoman standing, 7-6, 6-2, and 23rd seed Daniela Hantuchova continued her new winning clay court ways by defeating 16th seed Yanina Wickmayer 7-5, 6-3. It also helped that Wickmayer is just back from elbow surgery.

Yaroslava Shvedova upset 28th seed Alisa Kleybanova 6-2, 4-6, 6-0, and Jarmila Groth defeated countrywoman Anastasia Rodionova 6-3, 5-7, 6-2. Charleston champion Samantha Stosur, seeded 7th, defeated Anastasia Pivovarova 6-3, 6-2, setting up a round of 16 match against either Maria Sharapova or Justine Henin.

No comments: