Serena Williams figured an apology was in order.
She had just overpowered Barbara Schett 6-0, 6-0 Friday at the French Open in what amounted to a 40-minute practice session.
PHOTO: AP
So when they met at the net after the third-round match, Williams patted Schett on the back and offered these kind words: "I'm sorry."
It was a dose of compassion, something not seen much amid all the showboating in sports today.
"That was strange," Schett said. "I've never heard that from an opponent."
No. 4 Justine Henin-Hardenne and No. 5 Amelie Mauresmo, the only players to beat Williams this year, also had straight-set wins. But Williams' victory stood out.
"It wasn't as easy as it looked," the defending champion insisted.
Hmmmm.
Williams compiled a 23-2 edge in winners, drawing a collective "Ooooh!" from fans by stepping up to drive one forehand to a corner. She dropped a total of six points in the second set and generally looked far better than sister Venus did in winning a three-set ordeal Thursday against 110th-ranked Evie Dominikovic.
Don't forget, Schett used to be in the top 10 and she upset Venus at Roland Garros in 2001.
But she hasn't been past the quarterfinals at a major. Serena Williams is trying to become the first player with five straight major titles since Steffi Graf in 1988-89.
Graf's husband, Andre Agassi, is working toward a more modest feat, but one that's also rare: Conquering the first two legs of the men's Grand Slam. The Australian-French double has been accomplished three times since 1970, and last by Jim Courier in 1992.
Australian Open champion Agassi advanced with a 6-4, 7-5, 7-5 victory over Xavier Malisse, a Wimbledon semifinalist last year.
Agassi called it "a huge step forward" from the second round, when he needed five sets to oust teenager Mario Ancic.
"I was controlling the ball a lot better," Agassi said. "When it left my racket, the shot was actually going where I told it to."
At 33, he's the tournament's oldest entrant. And just like a year ago, he's the only US man in the round of 16.
No. 29 Vince Spadea was the 12th American man to lose, eliminated by unseeded Dutchman Martin Verkerk 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 7-5. Spadea's exit wasn't surprising: He lost to Verkerk at the Italian Open this month, has zero tournament titles and is best known for a 21-match losing streak in 1999-00.
He did, however, reach the semifinals on clay at Monte Carlo in April.
"It doesn't say great things for American clay-court tennis if I'm one of the leading players," Spadea said. "I'm not trying to discourage or to criticize. I'm just saying that it's competitive out there."
He and No. 26 Malisse were among five seeded men knocked out. The others: No. 22 Wayne Ferreira, No. 23 Younes El Aynaoui, and No. 31 Juan Ignacio Chela, who lost to 1998 champion Carlos Moya 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3.
Moya was treated for foot blisters as the temperature topped 85 (29 C). Health always is a factor at majors, where a player must win seven matches, and Williams offered advice to deal with the heat: "If you stay focused, you don't have to stay out as long."
Ferreira left on a stretcher after injuring his groin while trailing Australian Open finalist Rainer Schuettler. Chasing a forehand, Ferreira slipped, did the splits, and collapsed. Schuettler grabbed some ice and carried it over to the South African, in his 50th consecutive major.
Galo Blanco also quit with a groin injury. That meant Flavio Saretta, a Brazilian ranked 78th, will face Agassi.
Conditioning is a strength for Agassi and Serena Williams, who next plays No. 16 Ai Sugiyama and announced: "I came in here really, really fit."
Of all her wonderful shots against Schett, the most impressive display came on the first set's final point.
Williams raced to retrieve a drop shot that she scooped over the net while sliding into the doubles alley. Reversing direction, she hit a lunging backhand that carried her across the other sideline as the ball plopped in.
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