TENNIS Live

French Open - 3rd Round - Women

Nationality Player Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5
United StatesS Williams466--
SpainM Martinez Sanchz634--

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Serena Williams

Nationality USA
Date of Birth 26/09/1981
Height 1.75 m
Weight 68 kg

Maria Jose Martinez Sanchz

Nationality ESP
Date of Birth 12/08/1982
Height 1.76 m
Weight 68 kg
 

Live Comments

  1. - - So Serena takes the contest, it was bad tempered at times, but on the balance of play you would have to say that Serena deserved to take it. She walks off of the court making some very dodgy looking autographs. She will face Aleksandra Wozniak in the next round.

  2. 4-6 - GAME, SET AND MATCH TO SERENA WILLIAMS. With Williams sprinting into the net Martinez-Sanchez tries to push the ball past her, it slams into the net though and that gives Serena two more match points. She only needs the one, the serve goes to the backhand and it is pulled wide of the mark.

  3. 4-5 - A ball is called out which Martinez-Sanchez does not believe is. The now angry Spaniard fires down an ace and takes the next point to hold her serve. Will Serena serve it out on this occasion?

  4. 3-5 - Serena starts off with an ace, and that is all she can do for a while, Martinez-Sanchez has two break points and then Serena has a match point. The pair have a long and painful rally which finishes when Serena slams the ball into the net, this hands Martinez-Sanchez a break back. Is this a comeback?

  5. 2-5 - Two break points for Martinez-Sanchez

  6. 2-5 - Williams lets out a scream of delight as she takes the double break and will now be serving for the set. Martinez-Sanchez put the ball long to hand it to Serena.

  7. 2-4 - Break point Williams.

  8. 2-4 - Williams fires the ball long which gives Martinez-Sanchez another break point, her winner just goes wide though. Williams then wins the rally at the next point and takes the next point to cement the break.

  9. 2-3 - But no sooner has Martinez-Sanchez got the break back, she gives it away again. She soon finds herself 0-40 down, she saves the first with...what else, some serve and volley, she cannot do anything with the next point though, Serena fired the ball back past her. Serena back with the break advantage.

  10. 2-2 - MARTINEZ-SANCHEZ HAS GOT THE BREAK BACK. Serena saved the first two break opportunities, the first with a winner, and the second with an ace. The Spaniard did so well to take the third though, Serena hit a big serve and a big forehand which Martinez-Sanchez did well to return before building some shots of her own and then firing the forehand winner across Serena's body. We are back on serve.

  11. 1-2 - Two break points for the Spaniard.

  12. 1-2 - Martinez-Sanchez puts the ball into the net, giving Serena three break points. The first two are saved with some serve and volley which Serena tries to beat by hitting lob shots, they go a long way wide though, the third is then also saved when the Spaniard slams a forehand past her. Serena has a further break point before taking it at the fifth time of asking; or rather it is given to her when Martinez-Sanchez puts the ball long when she had the whole court to aim at. Is this the beginning of the end?

  13. 1-1 - Triple break point for Serena.

  14. 1-1 - Williams' first serve down the middle is unreturnable and that confirms her hold.

  15. 1-0 - A solid hold from Martinez-Sanchez to start off, she seals it with an ace.

  16. 3-6 - Richard Williams likes it, but there is only a slight ripple of applause as Martinez-Sanchez puts the ball just wide to hand the set to Serena. We are going to a third set.

  17. 3-5 - Martinez-Sanchez forces Serena to serve out the set.

  18. 2-5 - Serena cements the break of serve. An ace down the middle gives her two game points, the first is not taken, the second is with another ace down the middle. Martinez-Sanchez now serving to stay in the set.

  19. 2-4 - WILLIAMS TAKES THE BREAK. Martinez-Sanchez puts an attempted drop-shot into the net and that presents three break points to Serena, she takes it with the second.

  20. 2-3 - Three break points for Serena.

  21. 2-3 - A lucky break there for Serena. 15-30 down, Martinez-Sanchez plays a drop shot, Serena slips and she would not have got there, luckily for her though, the shot falls into the net. Martinez-Sanchez does receive a break point, but cannot convert. Serena takes the game at deuce on her second opportunity to do so.

  22. 2-2 - Break point Martinez-Sanchez.

  23. 2-2 - "Oh my god!" Screams Serena as she puts a backhand into the net. A point later some more serve and volley seals the game for Martinez-Sanchez.

  24. 1-2 - Martinez-Sanchez hardly set foot into her end of the court there. She was consistently at least four foot behind the line as Serena came in for the kill.

  25. 1-1 - Some serve and volley and then an ace seals the game for Martinez-Sanchez.

  26. 0-1 - Williams holds to love, her serving wasn't too hot though, with the first two first serves going wide. The Spaniard was unable to take advantage.

  27. 6-4 - Serena hits a big, looping ball to the back of the court, Martinez-Sanchez sprints back and tries to return it on a quick turn, the ball goes nowhere though. Two points later Serena hits a big forehand across court which gives Serena two break points. Neither are taken though. The first is put long and the second into the net on a point which Martinez-Sanchez dominated from the start, she came further and further forward forcing Serena to try and hit a winner. The Spaniard has two set points, the first cannot be taken, the second is secured with an ace down the middle. FIRST SET GOES TO MARTINEZ-SANCHEZ

  28. 5-4 - Two break points for Williams.

  29. 5-4 - Serena forces the Spaniard to attempt to serve out this first set. Serena's power pushed Martinez-Sanchez further and further back and in desperation the Spaniard tried to hit a winner which went a long way long.

  30. 5-3 - Serena tries to jump on to Martinez-Sanchez's second serve and to get herself going in this game, she forces it long though and the Spaniard is now just one game away from taking the first set.

  31. 4-3 - Williams' serve goes to a second one on three occasions; she is having trouble with it out there. Though when it does go in, Martinez-Sanchez struggles to get it back in play.

  32. 4-2 - And she cements her break with a service game to love. Some serve and volley seals it.

  33. 3-2 - A strange way to win the game there. On break point, Serena slams the ball into Martinez-Sanchez, it rebounds off of her arm and falls safe, the point is given to the Spaniard and that gives her the break. Serena is obviously very angry because the ball cannot be played off of the body. The American argues with the umpire about it and rather menacingly says, "she'd better not come to the net again."

  34. 2-2 - Martinez-Sanchez holds...just. Serena's power seemed too much for the Spaniard there, she just about survived though.

  35. 1-2 - Two break points for Serena.

  36. 1-2 - Williams also holds to love. She showed great touch at the net there, so often Serena is seen for her power, but she showed she has soft hands there to just clip the ball over the net.

  37. 1-1 - An easy hold for Martinez-Sanchez, she takes it to love.

  38. 0-1 - Williams falls behind early but recovers to take the first game.

  39. 0-0 - Serena will get us started.

  40. - - Despite there only being a year between the two, surprisingly, these two have never met in a tennis match before. Martinez-Sanchez has a decent pedigree on the red stuff and reached the quarter finals in Rome, defeating Marion Bartoli and Nadia Petrova on her way. Of course Serena is going for her third Grand Slam win in a row, and her second win at Roland garros.

  41. - - Did you know that Serena weighs 65kg?

  42. - - Welcome to LIVE coverage from the third round of Roland Garros. Next and last on Suzanne Lenglen court is the self proclaimed world number one, Serena Williams and the Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.

WTA Race 2009

Points
1 Dinara Safina 7730
2 Serena Williams 7575
3 Svetlana Kuznetsova 5771
4 Caroline Wozniacki 5345
5 Elena Dementieva 5215
6 Victoria Azarenka 4450
7 Venus Williams 4396
8 Vera Zvonareva 3550
9 Jelena Jankovic 3435
10 Agnieszka Radwanska 3340

Full Table »

Comment 31 - 50 of 50

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  1. Serena won and still called Martinez "a­ cheater" ? what a shame !

    From Renan, on Sun 31 May 8:36AM

  2. they should punish maria jose martina sanchez,
    and the­ empire of the match,..!!!
    because if you see the­ replay, you can see thats very clearly,.!

    From Mootje M, on Sun 31 May 12:46AM

  3. There was a time Tennis used to be gentlemen and ladies­ sport, Not anymore with the likes of Martinez-Sanchez­ and Fernando Gonzalez (against James Blake at the­ Olympics). I think there is something better than­ victory - DIGNITY!!!

    From yomia, on Sat 30 May 11:35PM

  4. Martinez sanchez should be ashamed of her self when she­ watches the replay and see how clear it was she touched­ the ball and the umpire clearly needs a little more­ training.Thank God serena got her acts together to win­ though

    From EDE E, on Sat 30 May 10:07PM

  5. It's understandable that umpires make bad calls but­ is there any ounce of integrity left in a player called­ M. Martinez Sanchz? For a grown lady to adamantly­ insist that the ball hit her racket instead of her arm­ shows she wants to win by any mean­ necessary....including lying and cheating. We have­ Justin Henin and now M Martinez Sanchz. I have lost­ count how many time Serena have to be a victim of­ players either cheating or lying and umpires not doing­ their job.

    From Chukwuemeka, on Sat 30 May 9:49PM

  6. First Justine Henin, now this? Within tennis circles,­ to not call this on yourself is CHEATING, pure and­ simple. Can you imagine how many times this crooked­ Spaniard victimized opponents when she was calling her­ own lines as a junior?

    From cpking777, on Sat 30 May 8:12PM

  7. NBC will show Serena's match. They go live 1:30­ EST
    Congrat, Serena!
    Luv ya', Champ!

    From Truthsayer, on Sat 30 May 6:24PM

  8. These live comments were too little and too late. Dodgy­ at best. lol.

    From Truthsayer, on Sat 30 May 6:23PM

  9. I think this victory by Serena is poetic justice­ indeed. I saw the replay and could not believe that­ Martinez did not own up to the hand incident. However,­ I think Serena needs to up her game to win this­ tournament.

    From Bruce, on Sat 30 May 6:22PM

  10. Now you get lost you cheat! You're disgusting.

    From JefriJ, on Sat 30 May 6:21PM

  11. CONGRATULATIONS SERENA !!! WELL DONE MY GIRL !!

    From champagnecharlie007, on Sat 30 May 6:20PM

  12. GOD had to guide Serena's hand. She was struggling­ a little.
    Congrats, Serena!
    And major respect for that­ cheater's serve. She kept Serena scrambling.

    From Truthsayer, on Sat 30 May 6:18PM

  13. Girl you gave us a scare,nevermind good job you are­ thru

    From chipomare, on Sat 30 May 6:18PM

  14. Is this match being shown anywhere on televisipn?

    From DarrellW, on Sat 30 May 6:18PM

  15. Pressurize this cheat Serena and show her how the game­ of tennis should be played - fairly and squarely - and­ more importantly, HONESTLY !!! Good luck Serena - you­ are simply the BEST !!

    From champagnecharlie007, on Sat 30 May 6:02PM

  16. Smack that cheat into oblivion Serena, and go for it­ girl. You are so professional, it is impressive. The­ replay proved correct and the WTA should take­ disciplinary action against Ms. Martinez-Sanchez for­ cheating. She should take a leaf out of her­ countryman, Nadal's book on good behaviour and­ HONESTY on and off the court.

    From champagnecharlie007, on Sat 30 May 6:01PM

  17. its over williams will take it :P

    From Mansur, on Sat 30 May 6:00PM

  18. c'mon Serena/..

    From Zeljko, on Sat 30 May 6:00PM

  19. Finish her, Serena!!!

    From Truthsayer, on Sat 30 May 6:00PM

  20. just do it serena!

    From JefriJ, on Sat 30 May 5:59PM
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