Robin stuns Roger

PARIS (AP):

There will be a Grand Slam semi-final without Roger Federer for the first time in six years.

French Open upset specialist Robin Soderling struck again yesterday, rallying past defending champion Federer in a rainy quarter-final, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.

That ended Federer's record streak of reaching the semi-finals in 23 consecutive major events.

The shocker was the second pulled off by Soderling in as many years at Roland Garros. He ended the reign of four-time champion Rafael Nadal in the fourth round a year ago, clearing the path for Federer to win his first French Open title and complete a career Grand Slam.

Federer disappointed

Federer beat Soderling in last year's final. Before yesterday, Federer was 12-0 against the big-swinging Swede, winning 28 of their 30 sets.

"I'm disappointed to a certain degree," Federer said. "I didn't think I played a bad match. He came up with some great tennis. It's much easier to digest this way."

Seeded fifth, Soderling saved a set point in the third when he won a frantic rally, then won the set to take the lead for good shortly after a rain delay of 75 minutes.

"It cannot be much better," Soderling told the crowd after his latest centre-court stunner. "It's great to play on this court. It's for sure my favourite Grand Slam."

Soderling's the only player other than Nadal to beat Federer at Roland Garros since 2004. The Swede's opponent tomorrow will be No. 15-seed Tomas Berdych, who beat No. 11 Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 6-1, 6-2. Berdych has yet to drop a set in five rounds.

The semi-final round tomorrow without Federer will be the first at a Grand Slam tournament since he lost in the third round of the 2004 French Open.

Because of Federer's defeat, Nadal will reclaim the No. 1 ranking next week if he wins the title.

"This is a big win, but it's not the final," Soderling said. "I don't want to celebrate too much. I want to focus on the next game."

Francesca Schiavone became the first Italian woman to reach the French Open semi-finals since 1954, then collapsed face-down on centre court and kissed the clay.

Schiavone upset No. 3 seed Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 6-3. Seeded 17th, Schiavone is the first Italian woman to reach the semi-finals at any Grand Slam tournament in the Open era, which began in 1968.

"I'll tell you the truth: I can't grasp the historical nature of what I did," Schiavone said. "But the importance of this victory, in itself? Yes. ... I'm enjoying it so much. When you work a lot, hard every morning, every afternoon of your life and arrive at a good result, I think you feel much more."

Schiavone's opponent today will be No. 5-seeded Elena Dementieva, who rallied past fellow Russian Nadia Petrova, 2-6, 6-2, 6-0. The showing is Dementieva's best at Roland Garros since 2004, when she was runner-up.