The third round match of the both Venus and Serena Williams turned out to be a matter of history, as has been their careers. Inclement weather halted both matches. Serena was up against 23-year old Kristina Mladenovic of France, ranked 30 in the world. The world number 1 female player had taken the first set 6/4. In the second set, the French lady fought gallantly and retained her serve in the twelfth game to attain the tally of 6 games apiece. A tie break was needed to decide the set. Serena was set to serve but the heavens opened up.
The Phillip Chatrier Court in Roland Garros is the only one of the Grand-slam Main Bowls without a roof cover. The Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne was the first to have a reclining roof. Wimbledon opened its roofed Centre Court last year. Later this year, the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York would have a roof.
Serena Williams was attempting to win the second set and the match when senior sister Venus started her match on Suzanne Lenglen Court against Alice Cornet, ranked 50 in the world and also from France. Venus was leading 2 games to 1 when play was suspended
The Serena match was resumed 2 hours and thirty minutes after the rain started. The players had a warm up. Serena missed her first serve. The French lady jumped on her second delivery and took the point. She held her next two points for a 30 lead. The French crowd roared. Serena clinched the two points on her serve to reduce tally.
A forehand return that sailed over the baseline gave the French lady a 4-2 lead as they changed sides Kristina held her service point for a 5-2 lead. Serena held her two points to reduce the tally. An attempted drop shot was run down by Serena to level at 5 points. She took the next opponent’s service point to get the first match point. Serving for the match, Serena missed an overhead to 6 apiece. A second match point was cancelled by.
At 8 point apiece, the French lady hit a drop shot that Serena reached but hit long. Another drop shot was lost by Serena giving the lady a set-point 9-8. Serving for the set, she missed the first delivery. On the second, Serena controlled the rally and won point with a volley. 9-all, change ends. She won the next point and was serving for the set at 10-9. A powerful return by Kristina cancelled, to reach 10 point all. Serena held the next point to attain match point. Serving to stay in the set, Kristina’s serve was drilled back at her forcing an error of a shot into the net. The set was over 12-10 in the deciding tiebreak.
