Serena Williams crashes out of French Open
Virginie Razzano of France reacts during her match against Serena Williams. (Reuters)
Virginie Razzano was two points from defeat in the second-set tiebreak but battled back to knock out the fifth-seeded Serena Williams 4-6 6-7 6-3 in two minutes over three hours.
Williams had been the pre-tournament favourite and her shock exit overshadowed Tuesday's other events, with men's defending champion Rafa Nadal, fourth seed Andy Murray and former women's winner Francesca Schiavone among those winning easily.
Three days of watching the favorites cruise through the first round in the sunshine, had lulled the Roland Garros fans into a gentle doze.
Williams was supposed to swiftly dispatch local heroine Razzano and complete the second-round line-up.
Razzano, though, had other ideas. She woke up the drowsy fans with her battling play and, by the time she got to her eighth matchpoint in a 25-minute final game, the crowd were in a frenzy.
Razzano shakes hands with Williams after winning her match. (Reuters)
As Razzano skipped around the court in delight after her win, a dejected Williams gathered her bag and headed straight for the news conference room to try to explain what had happened.
"There is no excuse," the 13-times grand-slam singles champion said. "I just didn't play at all the way I have been practicing."
Razzano, whose fiancé died from a brain tumour last year, was struggling with cramp as she served in the extraordinary final game, which went to deuce 12 times.
The Frenchwoman, ranked 111 in the world, saved five breakpoints and squandered seven match points before Williams hit a ground stroke out on the eighth.
"It's the most beautiful victory in my career," Razzano, 29, said in a courtside interview.
Source: Reuters
Published May 30, 2012
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