By Staff and Wire Reports
Here’s what you need to know about Virginie Razzano’s 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 upset win over Serena Williams Tuesday at Roland Garros in bullet points.
- The New York Times called it “an upset that ranked among the most unexpected in the recent history of the French Open”
- Serena Williams was ranked No. 5 in the world and the favorite to win the tournament.
- Razzano, from France, is ranked No. 111.
- It was Serena’s first-ever first round loss at a major tournament. Her record is now 46-1 in first round matches at Grand Slam tournaments.
- Razzano was given two point penalties for “hindrance” or calling out/making noises during play, the same penalty Serena Williams was given in the 2011 US Open final last year against Sam Stosur. Eva Asderaki was the chair umpire who issued the hindrance calls against Razzano, the same umpire that issued the same call against Williams in the 2011 US Open final.
- Williams led 5-1 in the second-set tiebreaker, but Razzano won six straight points to force a third set.
- Razzano raced to a 5-0 lead in the third set, lost three games in a row and won a 25-minute game to win on her eighth match point.
- “It was not easy to finish the match. She is a great champion. It was a nice and great match for me,” Razzano told Rennae Stubbs of Tennis Channel on-court after the match
- “Stunning is not even the word,” described Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated on Tennis Channel of the upset
- “She was the player to beat and she choked. You don’t often see that from Serena.” said former world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport on Tennis Channel. “It was one of the most shocking and stunning upsets I have seen in the first round of a Grand Slam.”
- Williams had tears in her eyes on court when she lost the second set and in the post-match press conference.
- “I’ve been through so much in my life, and … I’m not happy, by no means,” said Williams in the post-match press conference. “I just always think things can be worse.”
- Razzano’s fiance – Stephane Vidal – died last year of a brain tumor, a week before Roland Garros.
- Williams entered Roland Garros having won her previous 17 matches, all on clay, winning titles in Charleston, S.C. and Madrid. She withdrew from Rome last week, citing a bad back, but said “No, no, no. I didn’t feel anything abnormal I was 100 percent healthy” of her match Tuesday.
- Williams had 47 unforced errors while Razzano had 36.
- Williams was the only American woman to finish a match and not advance into the second at Roland Garros. US women were 10-0 in first-round matches before Jamie Hampton had to retire from her match Tuesday, trailing 6-4, 4-3, and Serena losing to Razzano.