(May 30, 2015) Serena Williams fell behind Victoria Azarenka 6-3, 4-2 before the 19-time major champ won 10 out of the next 12 games to move into the French Open round of 16 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
With Azarenka up 4-2 in the second, the pendulum of momentum began to swing Williams’ way.
On a key point of the match, which was replayed due to the chair umpire’s decision, Williams and Azarenka traded gestures, word and angry looks. It was the last point of the second set – an Azarenka ball called long at the baseline and Williams hit into the net as “out” was called.”
Chair umpire Kader Nouni decided the point should be replayed, and Azarenka disagreed.
As for the chair umpire’s decision to replay the point, the two-time Australian Open winner was not pleased.
“I think, my honest opinion, that call was bullsh*t, and everybody knows it,” the 27 the seed said to media. “But it’s part of the game. Sometimes it happens this way. But I think it wasn’t a fair call.”
“The ball was touching the net and he says it’s not a late call. So for me, there definitely has to be a review on that. We have a Hawk-Eye, so might as well just have that. Because it’s not easy for an umpire, but it’s definitely not easy on the player when you get screwed like that.”
“As I’m saying, I’ll always give a benefit of a doubt. But in such situation I think it was pretty clear. So I think the review, a little TV screen? I don’t know what they have, and just look it over.”
Williams agreed: I think that would be really cool, because sometimes you may or may not foot fault, and that instant replay on that foot fault. So, yeah. And obviously other things, as well. I think it could definitely not only be fun for the fans, but as well be helpful for the players to have that kind of instant replay thing. I think that’s a really great idea.”
( Vine courtesy of https://twitter.com/DamJef)
“He did a late call, he called it out, he didn’t put his arm out until like five minutes later,” Williams said. “But yeah, I mean, this is tennis. This happens all the time. You know, I — I even said, no, don’t worry, the ball is in, we’ll just replay the point. So for me, it was like, this happens all the time, every day in tennis.”
“Vika and I are really close, we really get along. We have this great relationship. So I was like, you know, she knows me. You know me, like I’m — you don’t win Grand Slams by being unethical. I’m a really ethical player. So I was just like, eh…”
“I think the level of the match was pretty high quality from both players, and she really stepped it up,” Azarenka said of her opponent’s comeback. “She went for a lot of shots that landed, you know, right on the line and really stayed aggressive. I think looking back at it, you know, I’ve got to learn from that and maybe stay a little bit more aggressive and go a little bit more for my shots. But there wasn’t much wrong that I have done, I think. She just really played a good match and I have to give her credit for that, for sure.”
With Saturday’s win, Williams now has 50 match wins at Roland Garros and becomes the first woman in the Open Era to record 50+ match wins at all four Grand Slams. Only three others have 50+ at three of the four majors -Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf.
Williams will play another woman from the U.S., Sloane Stephens for a place in the quarterfinals.
Stephens defeated Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 6-4, 6-1.
“I played pretty solid,” Stephens said. “Obviously she’s a tough player, so I knew I had to come out and play some good tennis. I was able to just make a lot of shots and stay in it, so I was happy with that.”
Stephens defeated Williams in the quarterfinals of the 2013 Australian Open.
The rest of line-up for the round of 16 for the top half of the draw: No. 4 Petra Kvitova vs No. 23 Timea Bacsinszky, No. 17 Sara Errani vs. Julia Goerges, and No. 93 Alison Van Uytvanck vs. No. 100 Andreea Mitu.
The bottom half of the draw: No. 7 Ana Ivanovic vs No 9 Ekaterina Makarova, No. 19 Svitolina vs No. 29 Alize Cornet, No. 28 Flavia Pennetta vs No. 21 Garbine Muguruza, No. 13 Lucie Safarova vs No 2 Maria Sharapova.
ROLAND GARROS – PARIS, FRANCE
GRAND SLAM – €26,287,000
May 24 – JUNE 7, 2015
RESULTS – MAY 30, 2015
Singles – Third Round
[4] Petra Kvitova (CZE) def. [30] Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) 6-3 6-2
[1] Serena Williams (USA) def. [27] Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 3-6 6-4 6-2
Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) def. Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 6-4 6-1
Sloane Stephens (USA) def. Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 6-4 6-1
[17] Sara Errani (ITA) def. [10] Andrea Petkovic (GER) 6-3 6-3
Andreea Mitu (ROU) def. Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 7-5 6-4
[23] Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) [23] def. [16] Madison Keys (USA) 6-4 6-2
Julia Goerges (GER) def. Irina Falconi (USA) 6-4 6-1