May 24, 2013 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg
Number one seeded Serena Williams begins her bid for a second French Open championship and 16th Grand Slam title overall by facing 83rd-ranked Anna Tatishvili in the first round of the event at Roland Garros. Serena lost her opening match to 111th-ranked Virginie Razzano at the 2012 French Open, Serena’s only first-round loss in 50 career Grand Slam tournaments. Serena is currently riding a 24-match winning streak.
Despite her performances on clay as of late, winning five trophies on the surface in the past two years – Serena has had troubles at Roland Garros. Since winning her only French Open title in 2002, Serena has made it past the quarterfinals on just one occasion.
Friday’s draw for the 2013 French Open set up these possible women’s quarterfinals: Williams against eighth-ranked Angelique Kerber, 2012 French Open champ Maria Sharapova could face Petra Kvitova, world number three Victoria Azarenka against 2011 champion Li Na, and world number four Agnieszka Radwanska against 2012 French Open finalist Sara Errani.
In Serena’s half of the draw are Radwanska and Errani, who open up against Shahar Peer and Arantxa Rus, respectively.
