It was Venus's turn to write the Williams plot line at Wimbledon on Wednesday as she survived a gripping three-set battle with 40-year-old Japanese Kimiko Date-Krumm.
Former World No 1 Maria Sharapova suffered a setback on her return from injury when she lost 6-4, 6-3 to Lucie Safarova in the first round of the Madrid Open on Sunday.
A member of French player Aravane Rezai's family has been banned from WTA events and is under investigation because of a "serious safety matter" affecting her "health and well being", the tour said on Sunday.
Fourth seeds Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi overcame a late resistance from Arnaud Clement and Nicolas Mahut to advance to the second round of the men's doubles event of the US Open at Flushing Meadows in New York.
Maria Sharapova will have the chance to turn the tables on China's Li Na on Sunday when they clash in the final of the Edgbaston grasscourt tournament.
World number one Dinara Safina continued to bulldoze her way through the French Open draw when she flattened France's Aravane Rezai 6-1 6-0 to reach the quarter-finals on Sunday.
Aravane Rezai blasted her way to the biggest singles title of her career when she stunned fourth seed Venus Williams 6-2, 7-5 in the Madrid Open final on Sunday.
Grunt, squeal and moan preceded game, set and match as noisy Portuguese teenager Michelle Larcher de Brito was silenced by France's Aravane Rezai 7-6 6-2 in the French Open third round on Friday.
Jelena Jankovic thrashed local favourite Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-2, 6-0 to make the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open but it was a gutsy display from Aravane Rezai that caught the eye on Thursday.
Sania Mirza will have to wait till Tuesday to start her Australian Open campaign as rains forced postponement of her first round match in Melbourne on Monday.
Sania Mirza has drawn world number 27 Aravane Rezai of France in the first round of the women's singles main draw of the Australian Open beginning at Melbourne on Monday.
Serena Williams survived a scare from France's Aravane Rezai on Thursday before booking her spot in the Sydney International final against Russian Elena Dementieva. The Australian Open champion was teetering on the brink of defeat after losing the first set and trailing 5-2 in the second but she raised her game to win 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Serena Williams continued her smooth lead up to next week's Australian Open with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Vera Dushevina at the Sydney International on Wednesday.
A noticeable presence of protestors outside the venue failed to stop Olympic champion Elena Dementieva from marching into the semi-finals of the Auckland Classic on Thursday.
Aravane Rezai won the Tournament of Champions in Bali on Sunday when top seed Marion Bartoli retired with a quad injury after losing the first set 7-5.
Marion Bartoli will play Aravane Rezai in an all-French final at the Tournament of Champions in Bali after both claimed straight-sets victories on Saturday.
World number one and holder Dinara Safina made an early exit from the Toronto Cup on Wednesday, shocked 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 by 39th ranked Frenchwoman Aravane Rezai.
The unseeded Frenchwoman beat the top seed to set up a meeting with Russia's Elena Dementieva.
Hsieh Su-wei proudly flew the Taiwanese flag on Friday when she became the first player from her country to reach the last 16 of a Grand Slam tournament. The 22-year-old qualifier edged out France's Aravane Rezai 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 and now plays top seed and world number one Justine Henin of Belgium.
The former world number one beat Aravane Rezai of France 6-2, 6-2 in the final of the Auckland Classic.
The Russian won the Istanbul Cup after her opponent Aravane Rezai retired hurt.
Ninth seed Daniela Hantuchova avoided a second successive first-round exit when she came from behind to beat Aravane Rezai of France 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the first round of the Italian Open on Monday.
The Indian ace will clash with Martin Hingis for a berth in the final of the Sunfeast Open.
France's 19-year-old tennis player Aravane Rezai adores Shah Rukh Khan and relishes kebabs.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances