USA's Venus Williams returns to China's Wang Qiang during their French Open first round match in Paris yesterday. Pics/AFP

Former world number one Venus Williams suffered a shock defeat by Chinese player Wang Qiang in the French Open first round yesterday. The 37-year-old ninth seed was well short of her best as Wang claimed a 6-4, 7-5 victory and gained a measure of revenge for her first-round loss to Venus at Roland Garros last year.