Bodog Beat

It was not easy but Serena Williams advanced on Tuesday. (AP Images)

She entered the day with a 37-0 record in the first round at Grand Slam tournaments.

She also began the day with a four-match losing streak, the longest of her career.

Eight times, Williams was a single point from victory and couldn't complete the task. Finally, on match point No. 9, Klara Zakopalova pushed a forehand wide to seal Williams' 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-4 victory.

All in all, it was a 2 1/2-hour struggle for the 2002 French Open champion.

It was an anticlimactic end to a Day 3 that brought the first rain of the tournament, a two-hour-plus delay that interrupted easy victories for No. 5 Jelena Jankovic and No. 7 Svetlana Kuznetsova.

No. 24 Aleksandra also won her opening match at Roland Garros, needing three sets to defeat Monica Niculescu 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. Get your French Open betting in the Bodog Sportsbook.