Serena Williams will have a third go at winning a 22nd Grand Slam singles title at the French Open, which would draw her level with Steffi Graf as the most successful female player in the Open era. But to do so, the 34-year-old American will have to achieve something she has so far failed to manage - defend her crown in Paris. Just three of Williams 21 Grand Slam titles have come in France - the first in 2002 and then a long gap until 2013 and 2015.
The year after her inaugural French Open title, she lost in three tough sets to eventual winner Justine Henin - hardly a major upset at that time. But in 2014 she lost a second round tie to young Spaniard Garbine Muguruza, a defeat that recalled her shock first round exit at the hands of Virginie Razzano two years previously. That defeat to the lowly-ranked French player resulted in Williams re-dedicating herself to the game under the guidance of French coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
The result has been spectacular with her winning two Wimbledon titles, three consecutive US Opens between 2012 and 2014, one further championship in Paris and the Australian Open in 2015. She feels that with age she is now better positioned to stay the course as defending champion in the second of the year's four Grand Slam tournaments. "I have tried to defend there (in Paris) once, twice, three times before. Didn't quite work so well," she said after winning the Italian Open on Sunday - her first title triumph in nine months. "But this year is different. I'm going to definitely go in there and I feel more calm and I don't feel stress to, like, have to win. You know, I feel like I just am happy to be out here."
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