Djokovic ends Nadal's remarkable reign
Novak Djokovic finally dropped the French Open guillotine on Rafael Nadal -- ending the most remarkable of Roland Garros reigns in ruthless fashion on Wednesday.
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The champion, who was rumoured to have red clay pumping through his veins after ruling the Paris slam for nine of the last 10 years, tamely surrendered his crown.
The manner of Djokovic's 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 execution was impressive enough but unfortunately for the Serb, no one was running out on court to hand him a gleaming trophy for condemning Nadal to only his second defeat at Roland Garros.
Federer gone with the wind
The signs that things were going horribly wrong for Roger Federer were laid bare at Roland Garros on Tuesday when the Swiss's racket flew out of his grasp after he tripped up and fell to his hands and knees on the red clay.
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It is not the graceful manoeuvre one has come to expect from a 17-time Grand Slam champion who has charmed the world with his wondrous shots rather than clumsy falls.
But that is what Stanislas Wawrinka reduced his compatriot to on Tuesday -- a fallen champion.
The eighth seed played what he called his ‘best match in a Grand Slam’ to trump Federer at a major for the first time with a 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(4) quarter-final victory.
So demoralising was the loss for Federer, who was tipped to reach the final from the half of the draw that did not feature the other members of the Big Four -- Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or Andy Murray -- that his usually sharp memory also failed him.
Champion Sharapova bounced out by Czech Safarova
Maria Sharapova's impressive sequence of French Open results ended when the defending champion was knocked out 7-6 (3), 6-4 by 13th-seeded Czech Lucie Safarova in the fourth round on Monday.
The second-seeded Russian had reached the previous three finals at Roland Garros, winning in 2012 and 2014, but could not handle her opponent's steely forehand.
Kvitova tamed by unheralded Bacsinszky
Czech fourth seed Petra Kvitova was sent packing from the French Open when she lost 2-6, 6-0, 6-3 to Swiss Timea Bacsinszky in the fourth round.
It was the second victory in as many matches against Kvitova for the 23rd seed, who will face Belgian sensation Alison van Uytvanck for a place in the semi-finals.
Bacsinszky was given the run around by Kvitova in the opening set but once she got into her groove, the 25-year-old, whose career has been hampered by a foot injury, could not be stopped.
Double Wimbledon champion Kvitova, who reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros in 2012, broke back for 3-3 in the decider but Bacsinszky won the next three, sealing victory when the Czech made a forehand error.
Former World No 1 Caroline Wozniacki was knocked out by Julia Goerges
Caroline Wozniacki joined the exodus of women's seeds at the French Open when the Dane was bundled out 6-4, 7-6(4) in the second round by Germany's Julia Goerges on a blustery Phillipe Chatrier court on Thursday.
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Third seed Halep knocked out
Last year's runner-up, Simona Halep was knocked out in the second round of the French Open 7-5, 6-1 by Croatian Mirjana Lucic-Baroni on Wednesday.
The third seed Romanian crumbled after losing the first set, managing a mere five winners in the match against the world number 70.
Bouchard's woeful run continues with early exit
Eugenie Bouchard's mediocre run continued when the sixth-seeded Canadian was knocked out of the French Open 6-4, 6-4 in the first round by local favourite Kristina Mladenovic on Tuesday.
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Bouchard, dubbed the next big thing of women's tennis last year, arrived in Paris having lost six of her last seven matches and there was no improvement on court Suzanne Lenglen.
The Wimbledon runner-up, who had reached the last four at Roland Garros last year, resisted in the opening set but was completely overwhelmed in the second.
Mladenovic, ranked 44th in the world, struggled to handle the pressure after opening a 5-0 lead in the second set but a strong first serve on match point ensured a second-round meeting with either Czech Klara Koukalova or Montenegro's Danka Kovinic.
Dimitrov downed by Sock in first round
Tenth seed Grigor Dimitrov fell in the first round, beaten in straight sets by American Jack Sock.
It was second first-round Roland Garros loss in a row for the Bulgarian, who went down 7-6((7), 6-2, 6-3 to the 22-year-old Sock who had never beaten a top-20 player in Grand Slam play.
Last year he crashed out to big-serving Croat Ivo Karlovic.
Dimitrov, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals last year, is the highest men's seed to exit the tournament so far.
Sock, ranked 37 in the world, won his first career title at Houston -- also on clay -- in April, and reached the third round in Paris last year.
The shock win against 11th ranked Dimitrov tees up a potential last-16 clash for the youngster against Rafael Nadal.
Stephens downs Venus
Former World No 1 Venus Williams suffered another early French Open exit when she was beaten 7-6(5), 6-1 by fellow American Sloane Stephens in the first round on Monday.
It was not a major surprise though as Stephens has reached the fourth round of the claycourt Grand Slam in the past three years. She will face Briton Heather Watson next.
Seven-time Grand Slam champion Williams, whose best result in Paris is a runner-up spot in 2002 but had not gone past the second round in the last four years, made the better start, opening a 2-0 lead but Stephens proved more accurate.
Fourteenth-seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska's slump also continued as the former World No 2 succumbed 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 to Germany's Annika Beck on Monday.
