Serena falters in 1st round
PARIS — Even after 13 Grand Slam championships and dozens of other titles, Serena Williams is capable of throwing away a big lead.
Williams led 5-1 in the second-set tiebreaker and was two points from victory nine times but still lost to Virginie Razzano of France 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 Tuesday at the French Open — the first time she has ever lost in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament.
“I definitely was nervous. I’m always a little nervous in every match I play, which I think is a little bit healthy,” said the fifth-seeded Williams, who had been 46-0 in the first round of majors. “I was definitely a little nervous.”
Williams entered the tournament with a 17-0 record on clay this year. And it looked like No. 18 was in the bag late in the second set.
But Razzano won six straight points to take the set and then won five straight games in the third set.
“I just felt I couldn’t get a ball in play,” Williams said. “You know, when I did, I just felt like I was hitting late and, I mean, how can you hit late on a clay court? It was kind of odd.”
Defending men’s champion Rafael Nodal had no such trouble, starting his quest for a record seventh French Open title by beating Simone Borelli of Italy 6-2, 6-2, 6-1. Maria Sharapova had an even easier time, scoring a “double bagel” in her 6-0, 6-0 win over Alexandra Cadantu of Romania.
On Wednesday, both Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will play in the second round. On the women’s side, top-seeded Victoria Azarenka will be first up in the main stadium.
