Reuters, Paris :
Defeat is never an option for Serena Williams, but the world number one came close to an embarrassing second-round exit at the French Open after an ‘unprofessional’ display on Thursday.
The American eventually beat unheralded German Anna-Lena Friedsam 5-7 6-3 6-3 to set up a meeting with 27th seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, but this was one of her off days,
She hit a flurry of unforced errors in the first set and faced two break points in the first game of the second before regaining her composure and reeling in the mistakes.
Williams, whose 19 grand slam titles include the French Open crowns in 2002 and 2013, has experienced spectacular failures here before, having been knocked out in the first round in 2012 and in the second round last year.
Defeat is never an option for Serena Williams, but the world number one came close to an embarrassing second-round exit at the French Open after an ‘unprofessional’ display on Thursday.
The American eventually beat unheralded German Anna-Lena Friedsam 5-7 6-3 6-3 to set up a meeting with 27th seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, but this was one of her off days,
She hit a flurry of unforced errors in the first set and faced two break points in the first game of the second before regaining her composure and reeling in the mistakes.
Williams, whose 19 grand slam titles include the French Open crowns in 2002 and 2013, has experienced spectacular failures here before, having been knocked out in the first round in 2012 and in the second round last year.
