Venus Williams took the French Open stage dressed for a Paris production she hopes will run a full two weeks. Wearing a lacy black “Can-Can” corset with spaghetti straps and red trim, Williams choreographed a 6-3, 6-3 victory over longtime foil Patty Schnyder in the opening round Sunday. The outfit will be tough to top in the fashion department, and Williams may be difficult to defeat on the scoreboard. “I always—goes without saying—believe I can win,” she said. Her 27-4 record this year is the best on the women’s tour. Last week Williams climbed for the first time since 2003 to second in the rankings, trailing only younger sister Serena.
