By Erik Gudris | Saturday, March 22, 2014

 

Defending Miami champion Serena Williams once again had to overcome herself and a difficult opponent. But she saved her best game for last to advance into the fourth round.

Photo Credit: Corleve

Defending champion and top seed Serena Williams posted yet another "W" in her column at the Sony Open Tennis event. But Williams, known for being a tough grader on herself, might reward her effort with a "D" or worse in terms of her overall performance.

Young French talent Caroline Garcia, who Andy Murray once famously proclaimed on Twitter a few years ago would become No. 1 in the world someday, stood in the way of Williams reaching the fourth round. Though Williams managed to close out the opening set, nothing in the World No.1's ragged play suggested it would be an easy afternoon for her.

That was due to the combination of poor moving from Williams, a mediocre first serve percentage and an inability to make a dent in Garcia's service games. Garcia though proved she was ready to go the distance as she pressed Williams during many of their baseline rallies.

Garcia managed to break Williams in the tenth game of the tense second set to push the match into a decider.

Williams would gain an early advantage by breaking Garcia to start the third set, and after a tough hold herself, opened up a 2-0 lead. Even though Williams held 15-40 on Garcia's next service for a double break advantage, the Frenchwoman held serve to keep the pressure on.

With Williams leading 3-1, 30-30, a brief rain delay interrupted play. When things resumed, the familiar pattern of Williams holding serve while being unable to break Garcia again continued. Williams, saving a break point against her, clawed to a 5-3 lead.

When Garcia threw in a few nervous check swings on her serve in the next game, the moment seemed primed for Williams to pounce and end things with another break. But overanxious returns from Williams on short second serves from Garcia allowed the Frenchwoman to hold for 5-4.

Serving for the match, Williams saved her best game for last. A pair of back to back aces set up triple match point for Williams who only needed one. A forehand winner allowed a relieved Williams to celebrate with a very loud yell the 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win.

While Williams' eight aces proved key, the whopping combined 87 unforced errors from both women overwhelmed what few quality points there were overall.

"It was a good match to play and it was good test for me because she's good player and she's always fighting a lot," Garcia said later. "No, I'm happy what I did but still disappointing because I didn't win, but it's good match."

"Caroline is a really good player," Williams said later during an on-court interview. "We always have really good matches and she played really well today - she definitely gave me a really tough match today."

But Williams was not so kind on herself later in her press conference.

"I had 40 something errors. It's not the way to play professional tennis. Maybe amateur. On the professional tour you have to do a little better than that, so hopefully I can, in the next few matches, to do better."

Williams, who will next face Sam Stosur or Coco Vandeweghe, might just give herself a passing grade. But she knows things are still very incomplete when it comes to being at her best this week.

Errani and Penntta Exit Early While Ivanovic Moves On

No. 9 seed Sara Errani of Italy became the latest seed to exit in the early rounds. Errani, despite splitting sets with Russia's Ekaterina Makarova eventually fell 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.

No. 12 seed Ana Ivanovic ended the recent winning streak of No. 20 seed Flavia Pennetta who captured the Indian Wells title last week. Ivanovic advanced with a 6-4, 6-3 victory and will next face Petra Kvitova.

Kirsten Fipkens advanced by walkover against No. 14 seed Sabine Lisicki.