French Open
Venue: Roland Garros, Paris Date: 23 May-6 June
Coverage: Live video streamed from 1000 BST on BBC Sport website (UK only) and BBC red button; commentary on BBC 5 live sports extra; also live on Eurosport; text commentary on BBC Sport website Details of BBC coverage

Venus eases into French Open third round (UK users only)

Defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova survived a huge scare to beat Germany's Andrea Petkovic 4-6 7-5 6-4 and advance to round three of the French Open.

Sixth seed Kuznetsova was forced to save four match points as world number 41 Petkovic dominated the first two sets of a rain-affected match.

But the Russian rallied in the decider to win on her fourth match point and seal a meeting with Maria Kirilenko.

Earlier, second seed Venus Williams beat Arantxa Parra Santonja 6-2 6-4.

Williams will be buoyed by the manner of her victory but in the post-match press conference found herself answering more questions about her outfit than her performance.

606: DEBATE Will Venus win the French Open?

The American wore the same self-designed black lace number she had unveiled against Schnyder, a see-through skirted bodice featuring a skin-coloured undergarment.

The 29-year-old, who caused a similar controversy with her choice of outfit at the Australian Open, denied the dress was deliberately provocative and said: "That was never the objective.

"It all started in Australia with the slits. I had a dress with really long slits in the front and it was about wearing a dress that looks like you have these slits with bareness.

"The design has nothing to do with the rear. It just so happens that I have a very well developed one! The illusion of just having bare skin is definitely, for me, a lot more beautiful."

To the one question she was asked about Wednesday's win, Williams replied: "On the bigger points, especially on my serve, I thought I played those really well, and I think that was key."

Kuznetsova, meanwhile, will now play fellow Russian Kirilenko after the 30th seed beat Yvonne Meusburger in straight sets.

The win was only Kuznetsova's fourth on clay this season

"I really want to be here - that is really what I want the most," said the defending champion.

"The one thing I want in the world is to be here right now and I wanted to win so badly.

"I just hoped. I said, 'I'm still going to do my best. I'm going to put balls in and see what happens'."

Petkovic said: "She played well on the first match point, and the others - I rushed into it. I just wanted to make the winner immediately and that's why I missed."

Williams, who next plays 26th seed Dominika Cibulkova after she came from a set down to beat Varvara Lepchenko, has never won the French Open and in 13 previous appearances, her best finish was a final place in 2002 when she lost to sister Serena.

Number 14 seed Flavia Pennetta demolished her fellow Italian Roberta Vinci 6-1 6-1, 19th seed Nadia Petrova was similarly comfortable in her 6-1 6-2 win against Agnes Szavay, and Alexandra Dulgheru eased past Timea Bacsinszky 6-4 6-2.

Meanwhile, 15th seed Aravane Rezai recovered from a mid-match blip to see off Angelique Kerber 6-2 2-6 6-3.

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