Taiwan’s Latisha Chan and Chan Hao-ching yesterday advanced in the women’s doubles at the French Open, while in the women’s singles on Wednesday, Serena Williams hit top form with her serve.
Williams’ superior serve was back at its unreturnable best against Romania’s Mihaela Buzarnescu, although she was pushed to a third set, winning 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Her serving, especially at the outset, was much better than in her first-round win.
Photo: AFP
In that one on Monday, she only put 51 percent of first serves in play and got broken three times in 10 games.
“I’ve been practicing my serve a lot. I’ve been playing, in practice, unbelievable on my serve. The other night was ‘Wooooow,’” she said, rolling her eyes.
“I’m glad it came better today. My coach told me it’s good that I’m doing it well in practice, because eventually it will be good in the match,” she said.
Buzarnescu did not put any serves in play in the first game. By the end of the first set, Williams had won 20 of the 23 points she served.
However, things changed in the second set. Buzarnescu made the measure of those powerful offerings and got herself right back in the thick of things, breaking twice in a row.
“She’s one of the best servers in the world. It’s not easy to read her serve. Being the first time playing against her, it took a while for me to adjust my position in the court on the return,” said Buzarnescu, who called it “a dream” to be able to face Williams.
“I’m just happy I was able to figure it out. I hope next time, I can do it earlier,” she said.
Williams got going again in the third set.
“I knew going into the third, I just had to zero in on those important points,” she said. “If I could just take those, it would be an easier time for me.”
In the men’s singles, winners in the second round included Alexander Zverev, Fabio Fognini, John Isner, Kei Nishikori, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev.
Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic were to play after press time last night.
In the women’s doubles, the Chans came back from a set down to beat Russian Irina Khromacheva and Danka Kovinic of Montenegro 1-6, 6-4, 6-1 in 1 hour, 54 minutes.
Their second-round opponents are Japan’s Misaki Doi and Polona Hercog of Slovenia, who defeated Dutch pair Rosalie van der Hoek and Lesley Kerkhove.
The sisters are to play in the mixed doubles today, with Latisha Chan and partner Ivan Dodig of Croatia to play Dutch duo Demi Schuurs and Wesley Koolhof, while Chan Hao-ching pairs with John Peers of Australia to play Croatian Alexa Guarachi and Ken Skupski of the UK.
If they both win, the Chans’ duos will meet in the second round.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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