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Federer Seems to Be All Set in Paris
Roger Federer plays his way into the French Open quarterfinals with Sunday's 7-6 (7-3), 6-4, 6-4 victory.
(Francois Mori - AP)
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Meantime, Serena Williams and Justine Henin set up a rematch of their bitter 2003 semifinal in this year's quarterfinals. The eighth-seeded Williams beat No. 10 Dinara Safina of Russia, 6-2, 6-3, while No. 1 Henin defeated No. 20 Sybille Bammer of Austria, 6-2, 6-4.
Less straightforward was No. 2 Maria Sharapova's 3-6, 6-4, 9-7 win over No. 14 Patty Schnyder of Switzerland. Sharapova saved two match points, was two points from defeat on 11 occasions and broke when Schnyder served for the match at 5-4, 6-5 and 7-6 in the third set, then again in the closing game.
Like in that 2003 Williams-Henin match, there was a question about gamesmanship. As Sharapova started her service motion at 7-7, 30-love, Schnyder tried to call time. Sharapova went ahead and hit -- she said she saw Schnyder's hand after finishing the serve -- and when Schnyder let the ball go by, Sharapova had her first ace of the tournament.
From that moment on, fans jeered and whistled derisively at Sharapova, including when she would pump a fist after winning a point, when she went to the change rackets in the middle of a game and when the match ended.
"It's tough playing tennis and being Mother Teresa at the same time," said Sharapova, who next meets No. 9 Anna Chakvetadze.
The other women's quarterfinals are 2004 U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova against No. 7 Ana Ivanovic, and No. 4 Jelena Jankovic against No. 6 Nicole Vaidisova.
Henin has won 29 consecutive sets and two straight titles at Roland Garros; Williams has won her past 11 Grand Slam matches. As well as both are playing right now, any discussion of what's to come Tuesday on Court Philippe Chatrier is tied to what happened in that same spot exactly four years ago -- and everything that's happened to them since.
"I don't want to reflect on that anymore. I let it go. And obviously she did. Or whether she didn't or not, it doesn't matter anymore. This is a new year," said Williams, who is 6-3 against Henin. "It was what it was, but we're both different people now."
