PARIS - When the ball rebounded off the net back to Venus Williams, she tried hitting it twice in a row. Usually once was enough. Williams advanced Wednesday to the third round of the French Open by beating Arantxa Parra Santonja 6-2, 6-4. Williams lost one point when she punched a volley into the top of the net, sending the ball back onto her racket. She also whiffed on a forehand and was often bested in long rallies. But serves at up to 125 mph kept her in control, and she was never broken. Williams improved to 14-2 on clay in 2010. She's seeded second behind her younger sister Serena, who scouted from behind the baseline, sitting next to their father. The Williamses could meet in the final. Venus took center court for the day's opening match again wearing her lacy corset despite a change in the weather, with cloudy skies and temperatures in the 60s. She went to deuce six times in her first service game before holding, then pulled away to take the first set. In the second set, both players held until the seventh game. Williams drew Parra Santonja into a moonball rally, then sprinted forward to slam a winner that sent her flounce flying. That gave Williams a 4-3 lead, and she served out the victory, her 28th in 32 matches this year. In 13 previous French Open appearances, Williams reached the semi-finals only once ��" in 2002, when she lost to Serena in the final. But at 29 she's enjoying a career resurgence, and her record this year is the best on the women's tour.
