Williams out of French Open

 PARIS, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Serena Williams was bundled out of the French Open after she suffered the worst Grand Slam defeat of her career on Tuesday.

 

The favorite for the women's singles title slumped¹ to a dramatic and thrilling 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 loss to France's world 111 Virginie Razzano in the first round.

 

It was the 13-time Grand Slam winner's first ever exit at the opening round stage of her 47-event Grand Slam career and her earliest loss at a major since she was knocked out of the Australian Open second round by sister Venus in 1998.

 

The fifth-seeded Williams was two points from victory nine times in the second set, including leading 5-1 in the tiebreaker. But Razzano won six straight points to force a third set, and then took control of the match.

 

"I made so many errors today, which isn't the game I was playing in the past," Williams said. "That's life."

 

Williams entered the day with a 46-0 record in first-round matches at Grand Slam tournaments. She had been looking for her 14th major title, and second at Roland Garros.

 

Men's second seed Rafael Nadal, in pursuit of a record seventh crown at French Open, powered into the second round with a 6-2, 6- 2, 6-1 win over Italian journeyman Simone Bolelli.

 

Despite dropping his service once midway through the second set on the Philippe Chatrier showcourt, Nadal won comfortably in one hour and 58 minutes to book a meeting with Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan, who whipped Russian Igor Kunitsyn 6-2, 6-1, 6-2.

 

Nadal, beaten only once in his entire career at Roland Garros as he attempts to go beat the record of Bjorn Borg's six titles, said he was less stressed than last year.

 

"Today I was more relaxed," he said. "I was a bit frightened, but I think I took control. I felt comfortable."

 

"It's a court that's not easy to play on, but the longer you stay on the court, the better it is. You can find your feet," he said

 

Fourth seed Andy Murray had little trouble moving through the first round after beating Roland Garros debutant Tatsuma Ito 6-1, 7-5, 6-0.

 

Murray, who reached the semifinals here last year where he lost to eventual² winner Rafa Nadal, served well and never gave his Japanese opponent a chance.

 

As Ito tired, Murray won the fifth game of the final set to love then produced a winning serve to seal the sixth game and finish the match in one hour 35 minutes.

 

Maria Sharapova showed daunting³ form as she dispatched Romanian Alexandra Cadantu 6-0, 6-0 in the first round.

 

The relentless⁴ second seed from Russia crushed the world No.78 in 48 minutes with a flurry of blistering⁵ winners.

 

Women's fourth seed Petra Kvitova advanced by beating junior Wimbledon champion Ashleigh Barty 6-1, 6-2.

 

Kvitova lost the opening game in her match against the 16-year- old Barty, but then won six straight in the first set and again raced through the second set despite being broken once.

 

The oldest player in the draw, 41-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan, lost to 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy 6-3, 6-1.

1 slumped   

大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]

参考例句：

• Sales have slumped this year. 今年销售量锐减。
• The driver was slumped exhausted over the wheel. 司机伏在方向盘上，疲惫得睡着了。

2 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

3 daunting   

adj.使人畏缩的

参考例句：

• They were faced with the daunting task of restoring the house.他们面临着修复房子的艰巨任务。
• Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect.开始一项新工作有时会让人望而却步。

4 relentless   

adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的

参考例句：

• The traffic noise is relentless.交通车辆的噪音一刻也不停止。
• Their training has to be relentless.他们的训练必须是无情的。

5 blistering   

adj.酷热的；猛烈的；使起疱的；可恶的v.起水疱；起气泡；使受暴晒n.[涂料] 起泡

参考例句：

• The runners set off at a blistering pace. 赛跑运动员如脱缰野马般起跑了。
• This failure is known as preferential wetting and is responsible for blistering. 这种故障称为优先吸湿，是产生气泡的原因。 来自辞典例句