U.S. at the French Open: One Life To Live

Venus lost, Yep, she sure did. Jelena Jankovic, who plays at Roland Garros like she had red clay in her first booties, beat the elder Williams sister, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1. That leaves but one American, Venus' not-so little sis, Serena, who was a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Michaella Krajicek.

Jankovic, who won the Rome warmup tournament for the French looked comfortable throughout the match. Venus, on the other hand, never quite seemed to gain her footing on the red stuff, appeared tired toward the match's end, and said as much after her loss.

"I got a little bit tired at the end," Williams said. "It's tough on clay.

"The third set went a little bit faster than what I expected. I felt a little bit slow ... I couldn't get my feet where I wanted them."

Serena cruised through her match with Krajicek. Afterward she gave her trademark Miss smile and wave to the crowd and surely turned her attention to her next opponent Dinara Safina. In a match much harder than Serena's, Safina defeated 's Francesca Schiavone, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. With an eye toward Safina, Williams said of her match today:

"I didn't think I played well at all. I'm trying not to peak too soon, but at some point I need to start playing better."

The rainy conditions in Paris have compacted play to the point Williams was forced to play three matches in four days. However, Serena will get a day's rest before her match with Safina.

But Serena represents 's last hope for a French Open champion this year; one American left - one life to live.