Serena Williams loses to Stosur at French Open

Australia\'s Sam Stosur caused her second major shock in succession at the French Open with victory over world number one Serena Williams in the quarterfinals today.



The seventh seed from Brisbane, Australia backed up her win over four-time champion Justine Henin in the previous round with a 6-2, 6-7, 8-6 defeat of an out-of-form Williams.



Stosur, who also reached the last four 12 months ago, will play Jelena Jankovic in the semis after the Serb beat Yaroslava Shvedova 7-5, 6-4.



It was Williams\' first Grand Slam loss since her meltdown in the semifinals of the US Open last September against Kim Clijsters. This time she directed any anger only at herself.



Four-time champion Rafael Nadal is now facing fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro in the quarterfinals, while Number 3 Novak Djokovic of Serbia was to face first-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist Jurgen Melzer of Austria.



On the women\'s side, Number 5 seed Elena Dementieva will play Number 17 Francesca Schiavone in the semi-final tomorrow. Schiavone is the first Italian woman to reach the French Open semifinals since 1954.



Schiavone advanced when she upset third-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-2, 6-3. Dementieva overcame a sore right thigh to beat fellow Russian Nadia Petrova 2-6, 6-2, 6-0.



The men\'s semifinal round will be the first at a Grand Slam tournament without Federer since he lost in the third round of the 2004 French Open to Gustavo Kuerten. That\'s the last time he lost to anyone other than Nadal at Roland Garros.