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Defending champion Maria Sharapova is out of the French Open while top seed Serena Williams survived a big scare to reach the quarter-finals in Paris.
Russia’s Sharapova, who has reached the final in the previous three years, was beaten 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 by Czech 13th seed Lucie Safarova in the fourth round.
Williams, 33, lost the first set to fellow American Sloane Stephens but fought back to win 1-6 7-5 6-3.
She will face 17th seed Sara Errani of Italy for a place in the semi-finals.
Safarova, 28, will take on Garbine Muguruza in the last eight, after the Spaniard beat Italy’s Flavia Pennetta 6-3 6-4.
It is Sharapova’s earliest defeat at Roland Garros since 2010.
“I felt I had small openings but I wasn’t able to play a few good points and Lucie was a much more aggressive player,” said Sharapova.
“My opponent was at a much higher level, more consistent than I was, and that resulted in a bad day at the office.”
Stephens, who knocked out Serena’s elder sister Venus in the first round, secured the opening set in 23 minutes.
Williams made 15 unforced errors and was broken three times by the world number 40.
But the 19-time Grand Slam champion, a winner in 2002 and 2013 at Roland Garros, edged back into the match.
Williams won the second set and took her 22-year-old opponent into a deciding set, where her experience proved vital in clinching her place in the last eight. — BBC Sport
Online Reporter