Li crashes, Sharapova struggles into quarters

PARIS: Defending champion Li Na crashed out of the French Open yesterday while Maria Sharapova survived a deluge of errors on a bitterly cold day in Paris to struggle into the quarterfinals.
Li, who was Asia’s first Grand Slam singles champion when she took the 2011 title, lost her crown at the fourth round stage, going down 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 to Kazakh qualifier Yaroslava Shvedova, the world 142.
World No.7 Li was attempting to be the first French Open women’s champion to successfully defend the title since Justine Henin in 2007.
But after a confident start on Suzanne Lenglen court, the 30-year-old Chinese endured a spectacular meltdown in the second set and never recovered, notching 41 errors and ending up being broken seven times by her 24-year-old opponent.
Sharapova struggled into the quarterfinals, defeating Czech veteran Klara Zakopalova 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2 in an error-scarred clash which featured 21 breaks of serve.
The Russian second seed, seeking a Roland Garros title to complete a career Grand Slam, goes on to face either Estonian 23rd seed Kaia Kanepi or Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands for a place in the semifinals. Second seed Rafael Nadal won 17 games in succession as he coasted into the quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-0, 6-0 demolition of Argentina’s Juan Monaco.
The defending champion, bidding to become the first man to capture seven Roland Garros singles titles, will tackle fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro for a place in the semifinals.
Nadal, who celebrated his 26th birthday on Sunday while title rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer were struggling into the last eight, took his career record in Paris to 49-1.
Monaco, the 13th seed, went into yesterday’s match with solid claycourt form under his belt having captured titles in Vina del Mar and Houston this year.
Nicolas Almagro also booked a quarterfinal birth on a day when Spaniards showed why the nation has ruled Roland Garros for most of the last decade.
Spanish players have won eight of the last 10 men’s titles in Paris and yesterday they showed no signs of relinquishing their hold as Almagro and David Ferrer mercilessly froze out their opponents at a chilly, blustery and wet French Open.
There are only three players left in the men’s draw yet to drop a set at Roland Garros — and they are all Spaniards.
Ferrer was deafened but not stirred as he silenced shrieking Spaniard Marcel Granollers with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-0 demolition job while Almagro booked his place in the last eight with a 12-0 sets record following a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over bearded Serb Janko Tipsarevic.
Three of the four quarterfinal spots in the bottom half of the draw will be filled by Spaniards, with either British fourth seed Andy Murray or Frenchman Richard Gasquet completing the line-up.
Four different nations are represented in the top haDel Potro had to head off to bed on Sunday leading two sets to one and returned to complete a 7-6 ,1-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych to set up a date with Swiss third seed Roger Federer.
Tsonga almost let the 4-2 final-set lead he held overnight slip through his fingers before he fell on one knee, resting his head on his racket end in relief, after seeing off Stanislas Wawrinka 6-4, 7-6, 3-6 ,3-6, 6-4. His next task will be to try and stop Serbian world No.1 Novak Djokovic from progressing further.