Maria Sharapova overcame illness to reach the second week at the French Open but she couldn’t get past a firing Lucie Safarova on Monday.
The defending champion was ousted 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 by the 13th seed in the fourth round, making it Sharapova’s earliest exit at Roland Garros since crashing out in the third round in 2010.
The Czech struck 34 winners to go along with just 22 unforced errors in an encounter that was pushed back to Monday because of rain. She sealed the upset with a vicious cross-court forehand winner.
Safarova next faces Spanish 21st-seed Garbine Muguruza, who defeated Italy’s Flavia Pennetta 6-3 6-4 in another fourth-round clash in Paris.
Sharapova’s exit means only one top-10 player — Ana Ivanovic — remains in the bottom half of the draw.
World No. 1 Serena Williams, men’s No. 1 Novak Djokovic, nine-time men’s champion Rafael Nadal and 17-time grand slam winner Roger Federer all play later Monday.
Federer and local hope Gael Monfils resume their fourth-round match tied at one set apiece. They were forced off due to bad light Sunday.