This is what Chris Evert had to say about Serena and the French Open (page 14 Tennis Magazine).....

"While Henin is my choice, Serena Williams isn't far behind. When she's on top of her game, NOBODY CAN BEAT HER. But her fitness is going to be key. Another bout of inactivity could derail her. The longer the rallies and emphasis on movement on clay will demand top conditioning. Still, Serena seems to be regaining the form and attitude of a No.1 player."

Interesting to hear what the all time owner of the Suzzane Lenglen Cup has to say!

Here's another article from the French Open Website on Serena's return to the FO:

Serena’s return
Thursday, April 26, 2007
By Christian Lacaze


Despite some having believed her days at the top were behind her, Serena Williams has pulled off an astonishing comeback this year. Back in Paris after two years’ absence, the queen of the recent Australian Open will be aiming high in a tournament where she triumphed five years back. But what a long time ago that seems now…

At her injury nadir in late 2006, Serena Williams came within a whisker of finishing outside the world top 100 for the first time in her career. In 2007, however, the American seems nothing short of rejuvenated. After languishing 99th in the world as recently as last January, victories in the two biggest tournaments of the year’s first quarter have brought her knocking on the door of the Top 10 once again.

Having clinched her eighth Grand Slam title in Melbourne, Venus’s little sister went on to confirm her return to the upper echelons of the world game by prevailing on the Miami cement in late March… and in fine style too! After outclassing the Russian Maria Sharapova for the second time this year (6/1, 6/1 in the quarter-finals in Miami and 6/1, 6/2 in the final at Melbourne), Serena proved too strong for Justine Henin in the final after saving a pair of match points (0/6, 7/5, 6/3).

The Belgian, a double title-holder and triple winner of the event, will be under no illusions about the player to beat at this 2007 French Open, and the same goes for Serena… Although generally in control in their deciding set, the American’s three defeats at the hands of Henin have all come on clay. Among these, who can forget the gutsy dogfight between the two champions in their 2003 semi-final?


A chance to avenge 2003?

Shaken by the partisan atmosphere amid which that match ended, it was with a tremor in her voice that Serena attended the press conference after her defeat (6/2, 4/6, 7/5). Could there now be revenge in the air?

Whatever transpires, after having been forced to withdraw for the past two years, Serena will walk onto the Parisian clay with the bit firmly between her teeth. Scarcely had the dust settled after her first Grand Slam win of the season in late January, than she was already relishing the prospect of Roland-Garros: “It’s going to be a really exciting challenge for me. I plan to have a really serious season on clay in order to be at my best in Paris.”

And judging from her success at shedding a few extra kilos that lingered from 2006, the 2006 French Open champion seems determined to equip herself with the resources to achieve her ambitions. But there has been a slight hitch in her preparations, when a spasm in the right side of her groin during training before the first round in Charleston in early April forced her to withdraw during the match.


Grand Slam in sight?

”I felt a bit of tension in my groin while I was practising my sliding movements,” she declared with more than a hint of anxiety. But for this champion who has been plagued by injury throughout her career, it is a case of being more shaken than hurt, as she was well and truly present in the American team which played host to Belgium in the 1st round of the Fed Cup in late April.

If her body has no more nasty surprises in store for her, Serena Williams will have a real chance of lifting the Suzanne-Lenglen Cup on 9 July for the second time in her career. In 2002, her victory launched her “Serena Slam”, a run of Grand Slams stretching from Roland-Garros 2002 through to the 2003 Australian Open. This time, she makes no bones about wanting to repeat that exploit this year, for at the age of 25, she has lost none of her ambition and pride. One thing’s for sure: her return to Paris is unlikely to go unnoticed…

if Henin and Serena do meet It will be interesting to see if there is a 'partisan atmosphere' again, the French almost see Henin as on of their own and the atmosphere could be a factor, and i've always found the Roland Garros crowd a bit over the top-well to be honest quite cruel on occasions.

I think the French Crowd would be very much in favour of Henin if they meet again. She's practically one of their own being a Walloon I suppose.

In fact the French crowd always seem to support whoever Serena's playing. :rolleyes:

I do find their treatment quite disgusting at times. It's good to get into the match, but during the 2003 semi in question even the commentators mentioned several times the unsporting behaviour of the crowd. That's the worst I've ever seen it.

I think they were particularly annoyed though as Serena had beaten Mauresmo 62 61 in the previous round B)

they are disgusting at times as you say Serena, the crowed at the other slams seem better, as you say nothing wrong with being for or against someone, but they are quite vicious.
When Graf played hingis in the final some years back and Hingis went to the other side to check if a ball was in-ok Hingis shouldn't have done that, and it was certainly deserving of the odd boo or two, but they just jeered every mistake Hingis made from that moment on, they just wouldn't let go.
Serena is quite good at withstanding that kind of thing, but she's only human, i think even with the crowd against her she still has a chance against Henin i'ld probably give Henin the edge on clay say 60/40

Well I don't think the crowd would be quite as nasty this time, if they met. I also think having been through it once, Serena would cope with it better.

Yes the 99 Final was also very bad. Hingis was a bit of a brat then, and I was glad Steffi beat her; but I still thought the crowd were horrible and completely OTT!

True Hingis was a bit of a brat, and i wanted Graf too!

the french crowds can be harsh, but serena and even hingis have matured and moved on from past indiscretions from either side...i hope :D

Serena's never made any indescretions. She's always been quite mature on the courts I feel.

She may have things to say in interviews but of all the top girls I think she's definitely one of the most respectable on court.

i just meant how they would react now.

Ok, but the crowd seems to like Martina these days anyway :)

so everybody's matured :D

but i will admit to liking the french attitude toward tennis sometimes ;)