The Americans sister act of world No 2 and No 3 Serena and Venus Williams is bent on burying the charge that neither of them is a force on clay any more going by the shabby performances they produced at last year’s French Open. The last time the Williams sisters shone in Paris was in 2002 when Serena defeated Venus in the final to kick off the greatest run of her career at the end of which she held all four Grand Slam titles.

Since then neither has seemed interested in getting down and dirty on the sticky red clay culminating in last year’s third-round exits.

All that, both say, has changed. “Last year I had some personal problems,” 28-year-old Venus said. “But that was last year. This time around things are going to be totally different.”

27-year-old Serena has been making the point that since last year’s tournament it has been the sisters who have dominated women’s tennis with Venus winning Wimbledon and herself triumphing at the US and Australian Opens. “Venus and I are trying to do the Grand Slam between us,” she said recently. “It’s a family project.”

Somdev through

SOMDEV Devvarman edged past Brazilian Joao Souza to reach the second round of the French Open qualifying. Seeded 26, the India No 1 won 6-2 2-6 7-5 in two hours and 27 minutes. He will next face Briton Alex Bogdanovic.