With a week of play almost behind us, here’s a look at some of the eye-catching matches that have taken place so far:

Jelena Jankovic vs. Venus Williams (Jankovic 6-4, 4-6, 6-1)

This was an entertaining encounter for the first two set. Jankovic looked far stronger at first and Venus broke through early in the second, with both players going for their shots and coming up with some screaming winners.

But the third set was a blowout, and Jankovic won the last six games with increasing ease. It’s her third win in a row over Venus, and if she keeps playing like this, she’ll certainly be able to challenge anyone in this tournament.

Venus’ performance was mixed. Her backhand held up quite well and she won her fair share of long rallies against the speedy Jankovic. But her weaker forehand wing was error-prone at some crucial moments and she frequently looked unsure moving forward. In fact, her movement on the clay might be better described as ‘slipping’ rather than ‘sliding’.

Venus ascribed her third set fade to fatigue. “I just got a little tired, and I couldn't get my feet where I wanted them,” she said. “On my days off, I think I've just been training too hard.”

David Nalbandian vs. Gael Monfils (Nalbandian 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(5))

This was a rollicking encounter that had the French crowd on the edge of their seats throughout. Nalbandian, who hasn’t played since Barcelona, showed some great touch during the match. He reached set point in the first set with an unexpected lob winner that stunned both Monfils and the crowd. A similar lob saved Monfils’ second set point in the second, and a dropshot saved a third.

Monfils showed encouraging mental tenacity when he came back from losing the third set and going down a break early in the fourth, but then blew a 3-0 lead in the fourth-set tiebreaker. The crowd, cheering wildly on every point Monfils won, was silenced when their guy made two poor returns and an unwise forehand pass attempt to lose the contest.

Nalbandian sets up a fourth-round match with Nikolay Davydenko. Even a three-course lunch in France doesn’t take as long as this contest will.

Serena Williams vs. Tsvetana Pironkova (Williams 5-7, 6-1, 6-1)

In every tournament she’s won this year, Serena Williams has produced one memorable comeback from looming defeat – rebounding from a set and 5-3 down against Nadia Petrova in Australia, and saving two match points in the second set in the Miami final. This one wasn’t cutting it quite as close, but she was down a set and a game and looking decidedly lackluster before winning 12 of the last 13 games in the rain-interrupted contest.

Is it an omen? We’ll find out – she’s had lapses in both of her next two matches but managed to win in straight sets. A quarterfinal with Justine Henin is now one match away. She’ll have to raise her level in that one – but we all know she’s capable of doing just that.

Kristof Vliegen vs. Richard Gasquet (Vliegen 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-1)

It happens. Your opponent is unknown but talented. He has a good day. You’re not quite prepared for it, get frazzled and can’t adjust.

But when it happens in front of a demanding home crowd, it’s tough. Vliegen had a great day during this encounter, hitting 43 winners and knocking out France’s top player in straight sets.

Gasquet had multiple opportunities to win the first set but paled after he fell behind. “In the first set, I had many set points. I didn't succeed,” he said. “And then afterwards, mentally speaking, I just never managed to come back. I was stressed,” he admitted.

Gasquet’s loss created a minor national crisis that will probably only increase the pressure on the young Frenchman, who’s been appearing on magazine covers since he was 9. Luckily for him, the resurgence of Monfils may deflect some of the scrutiny.

Jonas Bjorkman vs. Ivo Karlovic (Bjorkman  6-7(4), 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-3)

The oldest player in the draw, coming back from two sets to love down twice – a pretty good effort. It’s even more impressive when the second of those wins comes against Karlovic’s daunting serve. But the 35-year-old Bjorkman is a superb returner who broke the giant Croatian three times in the last two sets.

The mismatched pair played some unorthodox points in this rain-interrupted match, which drew a good crowd on quiet little Court 4. What’s more, Bjorkman is doing doubles duty at this event– he and Max Mirnyi are the second seeds in the men’s competition.

Meghann Shaughnessy vs. Anastasia Myskina (Shaughnessy 6-1, 6-0)

Both the scoreline and the tennis that was played say that this match is better forgotten than recalled. But seeing the 2004 champion look so helpless on the court three years later sticks in the mind, and it’s possible that this was Myskina’s last appearance at Roland Garros. She underwent surgery on her big toe in January and still experiences pain if she practices for more than an hour.

“You can see that I'm moving like a big cow now, so of course it's changed a lot.  I can't push from my left foot like I used to, I can't run,” she said. “I'm not going to be here if I'm going to be like 80, or 100. I'm not that kind of tennis player who wants to be here just because I want to be here. I had a great life these five months in Moscow, so I know how it's going to be after tennis. And it's fine with me. I just want to try again if I can do it.”

During her time off, Myskina was presenting a soccer television show in Russia and working as a tennis commentator.

Lleyton Hewitt vs. Gaston Gaudio (4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2)

Shows what I know, saying that it was important for both players to try to establish a lead early. Even after going up two sets, Gaudio’s confidence proved too fragile to hold up in the face of Hewitt’s dogged persistence. After three and a half hours, it was Hewitt who walked away the winner – his fourth career win from two sets to love down.

For a little while, Gaudio had looked like the Gaudio of old, his gorgeous one-hander flowing beautifully down the line. But his level dropped a little in the third set and it was a slow slide downhill from there. Hewitt did not face a break point in the last three sets, and became more confident returning as Gaudio’s serve dwindled.

Perhaps it’s the jinx of 2004 (see Myskina above). Gaudio, who unexpectedly won the men’s title that year, has not been the same since. But this season in particular, his struggles have been so persistent that it’s easier to revert to a timeline:

– Buenos Aires – 6-1, 6-1 loss (got booed, said it made him feel like quitting tennis)
– Acapulco – wins first match of season thanks to a 1-1 retirement (complains that he didn’t get enough play – “today, I’m leaving with nothing ” – and loses his next two round-robin matches)
– Barcelona – 6-0, 6-1 loss (says it might be his last match because he’s frustrated to be playing so badly, pulls out of his next tournament in Munich)
– Rome – shows up having decided not to retire until at least after the French, wins against Mardy Fish (on clay – doesn’t everyone?) and loses to Roddick
– Hamburg – first-round loss
– French Open – wins his first match in five sets and then loses to Hewitt after being up  two sets (won’t retire but will skip the grass season)

So the Hewitt loss must have been very frustrating? Shrug. “I’m used to it.”

Other contests of note - Philip Kohlschreiber defeated Lukas Dlouhy 17-15 in the fifth; French qualifier Thierry Ascione hit a golden patch on his forehand and gave Roger Federer a terrific fight in the third set; Sania Mirza did the same against Ana Ivanovic in the second set of their match but couldn't keep it up long enough; Amelie Mauresmo dropped a set but advanced in three over compatriot Nathalie Dechy.