Go forth: Serena passes test by Mladenovic

12:24 PM ET

PARIS — Serena Williams needed five match points after waiting out a rain delay of more than 2½ hours, but she eventually moved into the fourth round of the French Open with a 6-4, 7-6 (10) victory over 26th-seeded Kristina Mladenovic of France.

In a tight, well-played match at Court Philippe Chatrier, action was suspended Saturday when a thunderstorm arrived right before Williams and Mladenovic began the second-set tiebreaker.

Once they resumed, Williams erased one set point for Mladenovic at 9-8 with a swinging forehand volley winner. Four times, Williams was a point from victory in the tiebreaker — at 6-5, 7-6, 8-7 and 10-9 — and couldn’t close it out. But on the fifth opportunity for Williams, Mladenovic pushed a forehand wide to end the match.

Serena Williams, after failing to convert on four previous match points, finally put away Kristina Mladenovic to win the second-set tiebreaker and advance to the fourth round of the …

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