Venus dumped out of French Open by Petrova

Second seed Venus Williams crashed to Russia’s Nadia Petrova in the fourth round of the French Open on Sunday, as Justine Henin edged a tight battle with Maria Sharapova. Williams, a runner-up here in 2002, became the biggest casualty of the tournament so far when she lost 6-3, 6-4 to Petrova, the 19th seed, on Court Philippe Chatrier.

The American spurned two break points in the first set and Petrova made her pay for her profligacy by converting one of the two break points that came her way to take a one-set lead.

A netted forehand from Petrova, twice a semi-finalist, gave Williams an early break of serve in the second set but the Russian broke back and then broke again to take a 4-3 lead.

The Russian was 5-3 and 30-0 up on Williams’s serve when she appeared to lose her nerve, miscuing a straightforward smash and netting a forehand, but she recovered to whip a forehand past the American on her first match point.

She will meet compatriot Elena Dementieva, the fifth seed, for a place in the semi-finals. Henin displayed all her trademark grit to see off fellow former world number one Sharapova 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the fourth round, hitting back from 0-2 and 0-40 down in the last set to claim victory.

The Belgian 22nd seed will play Australian seventh seed Samantha Stosur for a last-four berth.

The match resumed on Sunday after play was suspended at one set all amid fading light on Saturday evening.

AFP