In a surprise that ranks right up there with a winter cold snap in Greenland, top-seeded Serena Williams captured her 20th Grand Slam title Saturday.
Williams overcame a shocking comeback in the second set from 13th-seeded Lucie Safarova to win the French Open. The Russian overcame a 1-4 deficit to take the set, then bolted ahead in the third before Williams closed her out by winning the last six games for a 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-2 triumph.
The 33-year-old Williams is now behind only Margaret Court (24) and Steffi Graf (22) in Grand Slam victories. She has won three French Opens, including two in the last three years. Williams extended her Grand Slam winning streak to 21 matches. She can win her first calendar-year Slam by taking Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
That might require a more complete performance than she managed Saturday. She racked up 11 double-faults and 42 unforced errors to just 17 for Safarova. Williams, who skipped practice Friday due to an illness, was even warned by the chair umpire for an audible obscenity during the third set.
In the end, however, she raised her record to 32-1 in 2015 and remain undefeated in 12 three-setters.