Williams sisters lead U.S. revival
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| | WOMEN'S RESULTS | 2-Serena Williams (U.S.) beat Maria Kirilenko (Russia) 4-6 6-2 6-4; Gisela Dulko (Argentina) beat 20-Conchita Martinez (Spain) 6-4 7-5; 25-Elena Bovina (Russia) beat Anna-Lena Groenefeld (Germany) 3-2 retired injured; 6-Anastasia Myskina (Russia) beat Barbora Strycova (Czech Republic) 6-0 6-4; 4-Venus Williams (U.S.) beat Jelena Kostanic (Croatia) 6-3 6-3; 11-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) beat Barbara Rittner (Germany) 6-1 6-4; 23-Fabiola Zuluaga (Colombia) beat Elena Likhovtseva (Russia) 7-5 5-7 6-1; Silvija Talaja (Croatia) beat Stephanie Foretz (France) 2-6 7-6 (10-8) 6-2; 30-Mary Pierce (France) beat Gala Leon Garcia (Spain) 6-1 6-1; Denisa Chladkova (Czech Republic) beat 29-Petra Mandula (Hungary) 6-2 6-3; Virginia Ruano Pascual (Spain) beat 12-Ai Sugiyama (Japan) 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-1; Shinobu Asagoe (Japan) beat 16-Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) 7-5 3-6 6-4; 17-Francesca Schiavone (Italy) beat Virginie Razzano (France) 6-1 4-6 6-3; Myriam Casanova (Switzerland) beat Maria Vento-Kabchi (Venezuela) 6-4 2-6 6-3; Katarina Srebotnik (Slovenia) beat Shenay Perry (U.S.) 6-4 6-3;
7-Jennifer Capriati (U.S.) beat Kveta Peschke (Czech Republic)
7-5 6-3
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PARIS, France -- Second seed Serena Williams survived a scare to join older sister Venus and Jennifer Capriati in the third round of the French Open.
The American, champion in Paris two years ago, dropped the first set against 17-year-old Russian Maria Kirilenko before fighting back to win 4-6 6-2 6-4.
She next faces Silvija Talaja of Croatia.
Serena was helping to fly the flag for American tennis following the disastrous showing by the U.S. men, who were all eliminated before the third round -- for the first time in 31 years at a Grand Slam event.
Fourth seed Venus rolled into the third round with a 6-3 6-3 win over Croatian Jelena Kostanic, while seventh seed Capriati was a 7-5 6-3 winner over Czech Kveta Peschke.
"I guess it's up to us to keep America alive here," said 2001 winner Capriati, who next faces 25th seed Elena Bovina.
"It's a different game out on the clay. For most of the American guys, it's difficult out there for them. For women it's more of an all-court game.
"I did what I had to do basically to win the match," Capriati said. "Maybe it took me a little while to get going and wake up."
Slow start
Venus made a slow start against Kostanic, losing the first three games, but then reeled off six games in a row to claim the set.
The first four games of the second set went against serve before the American again raised her game to run away with the match.
Williams next faces unseeded former champion Mary Pierce, who beat Gala Leon Garcia of Spain 6-1 6-1.
"I'm doing better now," said Venus, still recovering from an ankle injury suffered at the German Open earlier this month.
"I'm making a few mistakes but it's better to make them now rather than later in the tournament."
Spain's Virginia Ruano Pascual claimed the biggest victim of the day, beating Japanese 12th seed Ai Sugiyama 6-7 6-2 6-1, although Sugiyama's compatriot Shinobu Asagoe also produced an upset in beating Swiss 16th seed 7-5 3-6 6-4.
