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WORLD SPORT

Mauresmo and Sharapova crash out

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Sharapova was downcast after a shattering fourth round defeat at Roland Garros.

PARIS, France -- World number one Amelie Mauresmo crumbled to a shock defeat at the French Open on Sunday to Czech teenager Nicole Vaidisova.

The home hope won a tense first set tiebreaker but mustered only three games thereafter as stunning play from the tall 17-year-old saw her triumph 6-7 6-1 6-2.

Mauresmo joined Maria Sharapova on the sidelines, the Russian beaten 7-5 2-6 7-5 by compatriot Dinara Safina.

But it was the defeat of Mauresmo, who has long been an under-achiever on home clay, that sent shockwaves through the women's draw.

Vaidisova, who won the Strasbourg tournament a week ago, will next meet American 11th seed Venus Williams for a semifinal place.

The last American on the women's side, Williams won the final four games to beat seventh seed Patty Schnyder 4-6 6-3 6-2.

It had all looked so good for Australian Open winner Mauresmo as she took a tense first set tiebreaker.

But 16th seed Vaidisova merely upped her game to take a 5-0 lead in the second set to stun the center court crowd at Roland Garros.

After wrapping up the second set in 28 minutes, the decider was a mere formality for Vaidisova, who capitalized on two early breaks to wrap up the match on her third match point.

Squandered lead

Sharapova squandered a 5-1 lead in the final set as compatriot Safina won 18 of the last 21 points for a stunning comeback victory.

The 20-year-old Safina, seeded 14th, will next play another Russian, former U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Safina, the younger sister of two-time grand slam winner Marat Safin, had caused the biggest stir of the middle Sunday until Mauresmo's demise.

Sharapova, seeded fourth, failed to convert two set points in the opening set, then rallied but couldn't close out the victory.

She was twice broken serving for the match, hitting errant forehands on three consecutive points to lose serve for 5-all.

Safina controlled the rallies in the final two games, keeping Sharapova on the move with shots into the corners. When Safina sealed the upset with a backhand crosscourt winner, she threw her arms aloft, then swung her racket one last time with glee.

Downcast Sharapova

"She picked up her game a little bit and mine went down -- it's not a good combination," a miffed Sharapova said.

"You go into a different world and you make dumb decisions," added the 2004 Wimbledon champion.

Eighth seed Kuznetsova lost her serve seven times but rallied past ninth-ranked Francesca Schiavone of Italy 1-6 6-4 6-4.

Second seed Kim Clijsters of Belgium was untroubled in defeating Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 6-1 6-4.

She will play the winner of the tie between Martina Hingis of Switzerland and Shahar Peer of Israel for a place in the semifinals.

That match was tied one set all when play was finally halted after a marathon day of play at Roland Garros.

But defending champion Justine Henin-Hardenne did have time to wrap up a straight sets win over 2004 champion Anastasia Myskina of Russia.

The Belgian fifth seed looked invincible as she breezed through the first set but wobbled in the second before wrapping up a still impressive 6-1 6-4 win.

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