It's a good thing that the Williams sisters are healthy.
Robby Ginepri, the ninth and final U.S. man at Roland Garros, lost to Diego Hartfield of Argentina 6-4, 1-6, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 in the first round on Wednesday. With no U.S. men advancing to second round, the boys from America put up their worst showing at Roland Garros during the Open Era.
"I could probably speak for most of the guys that come over here, and for myself, I think we're always looking forward to the clay court tournaments," Ginepri said. "I actually enjoy playing on them, even though I haven't had great success on it. I don't get my hopes up ever...They all wanted to win, like I did, and we're walking away with a loss, so it's tough."
Fortunately for the US, the ladies are on better form. Venus Williams, a 2002 finalist, barged her way into round three with a 6-1, 7-6 (8) victory over compatriot Ashley Harkleroad.
Venus held a 5-1 lead in the second set, but after almost breaking the main draw service speed mark with a 206 kmh blast, she lost her focus and Harkleroad began to drag her around the court. The latter began to lace hard backhand down the lines and pretty forehands crosscourt and grabbed a 6-5 lead, but couldn't shut Venus down.
Harkleroad also had five set points in the tiebreaker, but Williams came up with a series of huge serves, laser groundstrokes and some difficult pick-ups.
"I really just got over confident." Venus said. " I was just feeling like I couldn't lose and then it was even, so it was definitely a mistake that I've made before, not often. But I just felt like I had the match and I was playing loose shots and I really should have closed it out, because she was competing well."
Williams was proud of her record serve though, especially because in the past five years, she has chosen placement over power.
" I loved it," said Williams, who laughed in delight when she looked at the speed gun. “That's where I lost a little bit because I saw the 206. I was so excited because I broke my record" (but not that of Brenda Schultz-McCarthy, whose record of 208 km/h remains).
Williams will face the red hot Jelena Jankovic in the next round, who won two Tier I clay court tournaments coming into Roland Garros and bested Venus 7-6 in the third set in the Charleston semifinals on green clay.
"We both played a really good match in Charleston," Venus said. "I'm sure we both have raised our game since then, so I'm looking forward to it. I feel good on the clay. I feel like I can get to almost any ball. I feel like when I need to, I can raise the level of my game. I feel like when I have the chance at times, I'm moving forward, too, which is important."
Three other American women advanced when Jill Craybas defeated Lourdes Dominguez 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, Meilen Tu overcame Romana Opandri 6-3, 6-4 and Meghann Shaughnessy destroyed 2004 Roland Garros champion Anastasia Myskina 6-1, 6-0.
Playing her first match since January due to a painful recovery from foot surgery, Myskina showed none of her once remarkable quickness and consistency. She was not sure whether she should be out on court, but wanted to test her foot in a match. In the end, all Shaughnessy had to do was keep the ball in play.
“I'm still scared to run 100 percent,” Myskina said, “so you have to cross this line. It still scares me a bit. I remember how I was before, so now it's difficult. You remember how you used to run or you used to play, and now it's completely different story. It's difficult not to be sad right now, to say everything is fine. Of course, it's not. But I guess you have to go through this time and through these matches.”
Serena Williams match against Milagros Sequera was suspended until Thursday.
