PARIS: World number one Serena Williams blasted herself for a performance "verging on unprofessionalism" after she needed another three sets to get past compatriot Sloane Stephens in the fourth round of the French Open on Monday.
Williams beat the unseeded Stephens to reach the quarter-finals, but only after a two-hour encounter on Court Philippe Chatrier that finished 1-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Just as against Germany's Anna-Lena Friedsam and Victoria Azarenka in the previous two rounds, she needed the shock of losing the first set to jolt her into life.
However, there is an omen there for the American superstar -- the last time she won three successive matches from a set down at a major was at the US Open in 1999.
Then, as a teenager, she fought back to beat Kim Clijsters, Conchita Martinez and Monica Seles before beating Lindsay Davenport in the semi-finals in three sets and defeating top seed Martina Hingis in the final to win her first Grand Slam crown.
"It's not how you start; I guess it's how you finish. That's kind of how I'm looking at it.
"Obviously I'm disappointed. Usually I'm winning in straight sets, and I'm business on and off the court. Now I'm just winning, and that's a good thing too. There's always room for improvement," said the number one seed.
"I feel like I'm living on the edge but, you know, I've got to get off the edge.
"I dont like to take chances, but at the same time this is also helping me I guess, in terms of knowing that I can play a two-hour match.
"But yeah, I don't really like to live like this. Believe me, I'm thinking: 'Okay Serena, pull yourself together, what do you do? Maybe you should, you know, go for a 5km run before you walk out there, you've got to do something to get your energy up in the first couple of points, first couple of games, first sets.
"So I'm definitely trying to figure that out and I'm not really happy about my performance. It's ok to go two tough sets, but to go three sets back to back to back is verging on unprofessionalism for me."
- 'Match of my life' -
As she continues her bid to win a third French Open crown, following previous successes in 2002 and 2013, Williams now goes on to face Italian 17th seed Sara Errani in the last eight on Wednesday.
And the younger of the Williams sisters has recent history of being taken to three sets by Errani -- she eventually came through a Fed Cup encounter on clay in Brindisi last month after falling a set behind.
"I'm glad I played that match, because now I kind of know what to expect. She played different than what she had played me in the past.
"And, you know, I also think playing Sloane today really prepared me for playing Sara Errani, because they both get a lot of balls back. So, yeah, I'm going to be ready for that, and I look forward to it.
"I was two points from losing to her. Whatever she's doing, she's doing it good, and I'm going to have to be ready because she gave me the match of my life last time."
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