Venus Williams Slumps To Opening Defeat At French Open

By Daily Sports on September 27, 2020

Former French Open runner-up Venus Williams suffered her second successive first round loss in a Grand Slam as she went down 6-4 6-4 to Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova on Sunday.

With a chill wind blowing and drizzle falling on the Simonne-Mathieu arena, the 40-year-old Williams began strongly but got bogged down in a baseline battle on a slow surface.

The American has now fallen in the opening round at the French Open for the past three years.

Williams led 3-1 and 4-2 in the first set against the 26-year-old who is playing under a special ranking after undergoing knee surgery.

But she lost a series of lengthy games as a first set lasting 68 minutes slipped away.

Unable to hold her once mighty serve, Williams, the oldest player in the draw, fell 4-1 down in the second set.

This came as Schmiedlova moved within sight of snapping a streak of 12 successive Grand Slam first round defeats since 2016.

Williams, who played in black leggings and a bodywarmer, finally held serve.

That was after being broken six times in a row to close to 3-4 in the second as Schmiedlova began to look a little nervy.

But the Slovak edged 5-3 in front.

Seven-times Grand Slam champion Williams fought ferociously until the end, saving two match points on serve.

But Schmiedlova showed great composure to serve it out, sealing victory with a forehand down the line.

Williams, playing her 87th Grand Slam and now ranked 76th in the world, also lost in the opening round at the U.S Open.

It was the first time she had fallen at the first hurdle at her home Slam in 22 appearances.(Reuters/NAN)

•PHOTO: Venus Williams

Source Daily Sports

Posted September 27, 2020


 

You may also like...
Federer, del Potro, pleased to see Djokovic on...

Betsy Obaseki preaches fairplay as goals rain on...

Giroud scores twice as Chelsea see off PAOK...

Sevilla appoint Montella to replace sacked Berizzo

Eriksen Admits He Could Quit Inter Milan In...

Algeria, Cameroon close to AFCON 2017

 

Latest News CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns Ex-Nigerian Super Falcons player handcuffed, children assaulted as police storm Anambra Football Academy Sports NFF, teammates console Nwabali on father’s death Abia Govt hails Nigeria Olympic Committee over staging an admin course in Umuahia Libya deliver Eagles 2025 AFCON ticket Eagles battle Cheetahs for 2025 AFCON ticket Yellow Greens gear up for T20 W’Cup qualifiers Tyson tips Fury to beat Joshua Sadiq absent as 22 Eagles train in Abidjan Eagles’ striking trio hot for Cheetahs, Amavubi clashes

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,164 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,307 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,370 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,015 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,948 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,904 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,743 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,312 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,366 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,054 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,507 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,931 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media