Slovenian star Srebotnik shocks Serena in Paris

Published on Friday 30 May 2008 14:01

A NEW women's champion will be crowned at Roland Garros this year after fifth seed Serena Williams crashed out 6-4, 6-4 to Slovenia's Katarina Srebotnik in the third round of the French Open today.

Williams, winner in 2002 and the only former champion in the women's draw, always looked second best on Court Suzanne Lenglen as Srebotnik, the 27th seed, claimed her first win over the American in four meetings in 90 minutes.

Broken twice in the first set, Williams upped her game in the second but the Slovenian made the breakthrough in game nine as a fluffed drop shot from Williams gave her the vital break.

She booked a place in the fourth round for the second time in her career when Williams shoved a forehand wide and she now faces Swiss tenth seed Patty Schnyder or France's Emilie Loit for a place in the quarter-finals. World No.2 Ana Ivanovic recovered from an error-filled first set to beat Dane Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-1 and book her place in the last 16.

The Serb, who reached the final last year, will meet unseeded Petra Cetkovska of the Czech Republic for a quarter-final spot.

Both players struggled to hold serve in a poor first set but Ivanovic managed to follow up on her third break to take command of the contest after 52 minutes.

After breaking in the third game of the second set, the second seed showed no mercy against the 30th seed and just beat the 90-minute mark to wrap up victory on her first match point.

Meanwhile, Scotland's Andy Murray was hoping to tap back into his new well of confidence on clay when he faced Nicolas Almagro in the third round of the men's singles later today.