“I definitely had to dig pretty deep,” Williams said. “She was playing really well, and I had to go out there and do what I could. I hit so many errors off the returns. I was just off. Usually I’m returning really, really well. And I think she played an unbelievable match today. But I think I can play better.”

“I faced her many times in the juniors,” said Sharapova, who was broken twice in the second set. “She used to be a nightmare for me because she used to slice and drop shot on clay. We used to have real battles, and we haven’t played since then. I knew her game really well and she didn’t have time to do all of that today on grass. If I’m hitting a hard-paced shot I don’t think she has time to create, which is something she likes to do. That’s her game, lots of slices and drop shots, get people kind of crazy.”

We’re searching for new storylines for the 2012 version of Wimbledon, but it’s looking a lot like the same-old same-old between the “old guard” of the Williams sisters, Sharapova, Clijsters, etc. Isn’t this around the time of year that Justine Henin makes a comeback? Martina Hingis in doubles? Yawn…we need some shake-ups in women’s tennis. Was 2011 just a fluke for Petra Kvitova, who could not claim a grasscourt title coming into the All England Club this year?

Andy Roddick’s downward trajectory, the return of Kim Clijsters, and reigning Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova in action are the things to watch this week, the final warm-up week before Wimbledon.

Maria Sharapova is on the verge of her own history weekend.

Errani will next face Stosur, who beat down No. 15 seed Dominika Cibulkova 6-4, 6-1. The Italian Errani is 0-5 career against Stosur, another mountain to climb.

Tremendous headcase and defending French Open champion Li Na exited Roland Garros on Monday in her own inimitable fashion — losing 6-0 to a qualifier.

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer escaped with wins on second Sunday at the French Open.

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic advanced into the French Open sweet 16s; Rafael Nadal returns Saturday.

No. 9 seed Caroline Wozniacki beat Aussie Jarmila Gajdosova 6-1, 6-4, and is looking to become a force again after rebounding from an ankle injury in Madrid and allergy problems in Rome. She is now working with former Aussie Open champ Thomas Johansson of Sweden as her coach.