Venus joins Serena in making early exit from Roland Garros
Source: Agencies |
June 1, 2012, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
IT used to be that Venus Williams was the one who was highly ranked, the one considered a title contender, the one who would dominate foes so thoroughly that matches would be tidily wrapped up in an hour.
Now 31, and figuring out from day to day how to handle an illness that saps her strength, Venus was on the wrong end of a lopsided 60-minute defeat in the second round of the French Open at Roland Garros on Wednesday.
Looking glum and lacking the verve that carried her to seven grand slam titles, Venus barely put up any resistance and lost 2-6,3-6 to No. 3-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland. Coming a day after her younger sister Serena was stunned in a first-round loss to 111th-ranked Virginie Razzano of France, the early exit marked the first time in 43 major tournaments with both in the field that neither Williams got to the third round.
"I felt like I played," Williams said after making 33 unforced errors, 27 more than Radwanska. "That pretty much sums it up."
Venus is learning how to be a professional athlete with Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease that can cause fatigue and joint pain.
Still, the meek way Venus departed was striking, considering that she has been ranked No. 1, has appeared in 14 major finals to Radwanska's zero, and from 2008-10 won 10 of the 11 sets the two played against each other.
"There's a lot of people who have it a lot worse than I do. I'm still playing a professional sport, so I have to be very positive," said Venus.
Now 31, and figuring out from day to day how to handle an illness that saps her strength, Venus was on the wrong end of a lopsided 60-minute defeat in the second round of the French Open at Roland Garros on Wednesday.
Looking glum and lacking the verve that carried her to seven grand slam titles, Venus barely put up any resistance and lost 2-6,3-6 to No. 3-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland. Coming a day after her younger sister Serena was stunned in a first-round loss to 111th-ranked Virginie Razzano of France, the early exit marked the first time in 43 major tournaments with both in the field that neither Williams got to the third round.
"I felt like I played," Williams said after making 33 unforced errors, 27 more than Radwanska. "That pretty much sums it up."
Venus is learning how to be a professional athlete with Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease that can cause fatigue and joint pain.
Still, the meek way Venus departed was striking, considering that she has been ranked No. 1, has appeared in 14 major finals to Radwanska's zero, and from 2008-10 won 10 of the 11 sets the two played against each other.
"There's a lot of people who have it a lot worse than I do. I'm still playing a professional sport, so I have to be very positive," said Venus.
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