Muguruza hits out after exit

A tearful Garbine Muguruza hit out at the French Open crowd after her title defence ended with defeat by Kristina Mladenovic.

Muguruza, who defeated Serena Williams in the final 12 months ago, walked off court wagging her finger at the fans on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Mladenovic is the great French hope to end their 17-year wait for a home singles champion, and the support was understandably one-sided as they cheered the 24-year-old to a 6-1 3-6 6-3 victory.

But Muguruza felt it went too far, saying: “I think the audience was really tough today.”

Anointed as the player to take over Williams’ mantle, Muguruza has subsequently failed to reach a single final at any tournament.

She said: “I lost confidence, and my opponent was on home turf, so it created a lot of tension. Of course I’m sad. It’s a very painful defeat here at the French Open.”

Muguruza was joined by Venus Williams, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Sam Stosur in exiting the tournament, meaning the women’s event will have a new grand slam champion.

Williams, who had been hoping to win the tournament for the first time in the month of her 37th birthday, lost 5-7 6-2 6-1 to Timea Bacsinszky.

Caroline Wozniacki, with two slam finals now the most experienced player left, continued her fine year with a surprise 6-1 4-6 6-2 victory over 2009 winner Kuznetsova.

Wozniacki next faces teenage Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, who knocked out Stosur 2-6 6-2 6-4 to reach her first quarter-final.