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Year after 1st-round exit, Serena Williams to face 83rd-ranked Anna Tatishvili at French Open

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Serena Williams of the United States returns the ball to Belarus' Victoria Azarenka during their final match at the Italian Open tennis tournament in Rome, Sunday, May 19, 2013. Williams won 6-1, 6-3. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this May 9, 2013 file photo, Serena Williams from U.S. returns the ball during the match against Maria Kirilenko from Russia at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain. The French Open begins Sunday, May 26, 2013. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki, File) (The Associated Press)

Serena Williams will begin her bid for a second French Open championship and 16th Grand Slam title overall by facing 83rd-ranked Anna Tatishvili in the first round.

A year ago in Paris, Williams lost her opening match to 111th-ranked Virginie Razzano, the American's only first-round loss in 50 career Grand Slam tournaments.

Williams is seeded No. 1 this year and is on a career-best 24-match winning streak. Tatishvili is 0-2 at Roland Garros.

Friday's draw for the clay-court major tournament set up these possible women's quarterfinals: Williams against No. 8 Angelique Kerber, defending champion Maria Sharapova against No. 7 Petra Kvitova, No. 3 Victoria Azarenka against 2011 champion Li Na, and No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska against 2012 runner-up Sara Errani.

The tournament begins Sunday.