A first-time grand slam women’s singles winner is guaranteed at the French Open this year after Garbiñe Muguruza, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Sam Stosur and Venus Williams all exited the tournament at the last-16 stage this afternoon.
It had been thought by some that experience would prevail here at Roland Garros this year, but the door is now wide open for a player to step up in the absence of previous champions.
Muguruza’s defence of her title came to an end with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 defeat by France’s Kristina Mladenovic, who is bidding to become the first home women’s champion since Mary Pierce in 2000. The local fans had booed Muguruza during the match and she wagged her finger towards them upon departing Court Suzanne Lenglen.
“I think the audience was really tough today,” Muguruza said. “I just think that they sometimes should be a little bit more respectful. The chair umpire has to always calm the crowd down. I’m not here to create enemies. I mean, I love playing here. It is not a good feeling.”
Muguruza was so upset afterwards that she broke down in tears during her post-match press conference and had to leave the room for a brief period.
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Caroline Wozniacki claimed one of her best wins on clay for some time by defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova, the Russian who won the Roland Garros title in 2009, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. Wozniacki, as a former world No 1, is the most experienced player left in the tournament.
“I have felt good all year,” Wozniacki said. “I have been playing well and confidently. I felt pretty good going into the tournament. Obviously it’s just kind of clicking this week. Hopefully I can keep going this way.”
Stosur, the 2011 US Open champion who also finished runner-up here the year before, looked on course to progress at a set up, before Jelena Ostapenko, the world No 47 of Latvia, hit back for a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory. Ostapenko faces Wozniacki in the quarter-finals.
A quartet of upsets was completed with Venus Williams, the seven-times grand slam singles champion who turns 37 later this month, suffering a 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 defeat by Timea Bacsinszky, the No 30 seed of Switzerland. Although clay is Williams’ least favourite surface, the American had had shown signs recently that she was feeling more at ease on it.
Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal continues to march on in his bid for a historic tenth Roland Garros title, defeating Spanish compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut 6-1, 6-2, 6-2. Nadal has lost just 20 games in four matches leading up to the quarter-finals, just one more than his best start at a grand slam when he lost 19 here five years ago.
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Nadal was furious at one point, however, with Portuguese umpire Carlos Ramos after receiving a time violation for exceeding the 20 seconds allowed between serves. “You are going to have to give me many more warnings in this match because you are not going to be in the chair again,” Nadal said during a heated debate with Ramos.
Two years ago, Nadal asked for Brazilian official Carlos Bernardes to be removed from his matches.
