Some players are remembered for their illustrious careers, others for one glorious moment. French player Virginie Razzano, who reached a career high of World No. 16 in the WTA Rankings, will always be associated with one of Serena Williams’ most surprising and difficult losses: her 2012 French Open first-round defeat.
Razzano turned pro in 1999 and was a steady presence on the WTA Tour, occasionally troubling top players. Before beating Serena, she had stunned Martina Hingis in the second round of the US Open in 2006.
She was also part of the French team that won the Fed Cup in 2003. In 2009, she reached her highest ranking, breaking into the Top 20. However, in 2012, she arrived at the French Open without many expectations, entering as a wild card and coming off one of the toughest years of her life after losing her fiancé and former coach, Stephane Vidal.
The loss of her fiancé
A year before defeating the younger Williams sister, Razzano also made headlines during her first-round match at the French Open. This time it was for deeply personal reasons, as she was set to play just days after the passing of Vidal, who died from a brain tumor at only 32 years old.
Virginie Razzano played with a black ribbon in the 2011 French Open (Getty Images)
Despite the shock, she chose to compete in his honor. Razzano lost to Jarmila Gajdosova 6-3, 6-1, but the two players embraced at the net. “That she stood there and actually went on court and tried holding her head up high was amazing,” Gajdosova said at the time.
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Razzano explained that she wanted to pay tribute to him because he had wanted her to play. “To know that I was playing gave him energy,” she said. Still, she admitted, “I felt a bit lost, and that’s normal. I’m in shock. I’ll need time to find myself again.”
Serena Williams’ upset
A year later, Razzano returned to the French Open, once again needing a wild card to enter the main draw. In the first round, she faced Serena Williams, who came to Paris as the favorite to win the tournament.
Razzano came back from a set and 1–5 down in the second-set tiebreak to win in three sets: 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3. It was the first time Williams had ever lost in the opening round of a Grand Slam.
“Ah yes, there were lots of things mixed together out there,” Razzano told The New York Times. “What’s clear is that I was not alone on the court last year against Serena,” she said, referring to Vidal.
Despite the historic win, she lost in the second round to Arantxa Rus in three sets. In the year that followed, Williams had a remarkable resurgence, winning Wimbledon, the Olympics, and the US Open, and reclaiming the World No. 1 ranking.
Razzano celebrates her win over Serena Williams at the 2012 French Open (Getty Images)
Razzano returned to Roland Garros in 2013, once again ranked outside the Top 100 and entering with a wild card, but this time with newfound recognition. She told The New York Times that people in France still congratulated her when they saw her on the street.
Razzano retired in 2018 in quiet fashion. However, her upset will be remembered not only for the result but also for being the match that sparked Serena Williams’ comeback. “For sure, definitely, it forced me to make choices I wouldn’t normally have made,” Williams said. It was a turning point in tennis history.
