Slovenian Katarina Srebotnik scored the biggest victory of her career and the biggest upset of the 2008 Roland Garros defeating eight-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams 6-4 6-4 in the third round.
Fifth seed Williams suffered her earliest exit at the French Open since 1999. Also, the 2002 French Open winner Williams was the only former champion in this year’s draw, which now means we will have a first-time women’s champion.
World No.5 Williams converted only one of eight breakpoint chances during the match, and in the second set that proportion was 0-for-6. Also, Williams failed to finish her well-constructed points, and lost 14 of 21 points at the net.
Until today, Williams was 3-0 in career meetings with Srebotnik, who is currently ranked 24th in the world. However, in their last match on clay at the Family Circle Cup in April, Srebotnik took the opening set before Serena won 4-6 6-4 6-3.
The No. 27-seeded Srebotnik will play either Emilie Loit or tenth seed Patty Schnyder in the fourth round at Roland Garros.
