VIDEOS: Serena, Azarenka exchange words after controversial call

Call it the Sascha Open. It was a heated battle between top seed Serena Williams and No. 27 seed but former No. 1 Victoria Azarenka today in Paris. The former's longtime hitting partner, Sascha Bajin, is now in the latter's camp.

The stakes were high, and each knows how to beat the other on court, lending these matches moving forward, as with their three-set standoff three weeks ago in Madrid, an air of drama at its finest. After falling behind 6-3, 4-2 today, Williams overcame her own forehand errors and pulled her game together for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory to move into the fourth round at Roland Garros against Sloane Stephens, who vanquished her sister, Venus Williams, in the opening round.

This match was not without controversy, as a disputed line judgment saw Azarenka petition first the chair umpire and then Williams herself for what she deemed the correct ruling. That late call ruled an Azarenka shot long, only to meet an overrule by the umpire, who had the two stars replay the point. Azarenka was miffed at this, as Serena had guided her forehand shot in reply into the net before the tardy call. Conflict ensued:

Azarenka went away mentally, perhaps, after that hangup. She went up 2-0 in the final set only to be broken and lose six games in a row. Indeed, Serena won 10 of the match's final 12 games, and upon dropping the second set, Azarenka had some choice words for the goings-on and toward her player's box. She was also given a code violation:

When all was said and done, Serena closed out the match with a forehand passing shot and a suitably fashionable move in turn.

And you can add one to Serena's haul here:

(Graphic courtesy Kevin Fischer at WTA Tour and NBC Sports.)

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