Champion departs as Sharapova survives
June 04, 2012 16:53:32 UK
There will be a new women's champion at the French Open after defending champion Li Na was dumped out of the competition in the fourth round by the unseeded Yaroslava Shvedova.
The Chinese player looked to be on course for the quarter-finals when she took the first set 6-3, but Kazakhstan's Shvedova then turned the match on its head by taking the next two sets 6-2 6-0.
Na, who had been the only woman left in the draw who had previously taken the title at Roland Garros, was nearly followed out of the tournament by second seed Maria Sharapova.
The Russian, now 1.90 to win the French crown, will complete a full set of Grand Slam titles if she triumphs in Paris.
However, her bid for glory was almost ended by Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic, with Sharapova eventually edging home 6-4 6-7 6-2.
In the men's draw Juan Martin Del Potro, 1213.00 to be champion, defeated Tomas Berdych 7-6 1-6 6-3 7-5 to set up a quarter-final with Roger Federer, who is 12.00 to be French champion for a second time.
Home hope Jo-Wilfried Tsonga outlasted Stanislas Wawrinka in a five-set classic to reach the last eight, where he will take on world number one Novak Djokovic.
Spanish pair David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro both booked their places in the last eight with straight sets wins, over Marcel Granollers and Janko Tipsarevic respectively.
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