Associated Press

Paris, May 28:

Justine Henin-Hardenne rallied to win her third-round match at the French Open, overcoming a slow start to beat Anabel Medina Garrigues 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 on Saturday. Henin committed 14 unforced errors as she fell behind 5-0, and it took her 26 minutes to win a game. She then began to find the range with her wide array of shots, seized an early lead in the final set and held her final four service games. The 2003 champion will next play reigning US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, who beat Marissa Irvin 6-1, 2-6, 6-0. That result left top-ranked Lindsay Davenport as the lone remaining American, male or female, among the 22 who entered the tournament. Maria Sharapova had Anna Chakvetadze pounding the clay with her racket in frustration — and that was just two games into the match. Taking charge from the start, Sharapova won a duel of 18-year-old Russians 6-1, 6-4. The second-seeded Sharapova is seeking her first Roland Garros title and trying to overtake Davenport to claim the No 1 ranking for the first time.

Three other Russian women also advanced — sixth-seeded Kuznetsova, No 7 Nadia Petrova and No 12 Elena Bovina. Jose Acasuso, who beat second-seeded Andy Roddick in the second round, led 3-0 when No 27 Filippo Volandri quit with a recurring injury to his racket hand. Sharapova will face Nuria Llagostera Vives, who upset No 13 Nathalie Dechy of France, 7-6, 6-3. Petrova swept Shahar Peer 6-3, 6-1, and Bovina beat 17-year-old Frenchwoman Tatiana Golovin 6-3, 7-5. Golovin had seven double faults and squandered a lead in the second set.

Chakvetadze also had seven double faults, while Sharapova displayed the dominating serve and pinpoint groundstrokes. She had 19 winners and 19 unforced errors. Venus Williams did plenty to beat herself, and 15-year-old Sesil Karatantcheva took care of the rest. The Bulgarian upset Williams 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 in the third round. Williams hit just nine winners and committed 52 unforced errors, including seven double faults. She lost serve nine times, including all four service games in the final set.