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Tennis

Mladenovic dethrones Muguruza at Roland Garros

Defending champion Garbine Muguruza was dispatched from Roland Garros on Sunday following a three set defeat to the 13th seed Kristina Mladenovic. The 24-year-old Frenchwoman advanced to her first quarter final at Roland Garros in nine visits despite racking up 16 double faults. 

Garbine Muguruza broke down in tears in her post match press conference following her fourth round defeat at Roland Garros.
Garbine Muguruza broke down in tears in her post match press conference following her fourth round defeat at Roland Garros. RFI/Pierre-Rene Worms
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"I always do believe I'm strong enough mentally to at least give my best tennis out there and have no regrets and not go out from the court and say: 'Okay, I couldn't handle at all the atmosphere and the nerves.' And then you regret it and you feel kind of weak."

Muguruza outmuscled top seed Serena Williams in last year’s final to claim her first Grand Slam crown. But on Court Suzanne Lenglen against the local girl, she was tentative and error prone.

“The crowd was a little bit tough for me,” the Spaniard lamented. “I understand.
I just think that they should be a little bit more respectful for the game because we had to stop. The chair umpire had to always calm the crowd down.”

Such animation is hardly surprising. The partisans have not feasted on a home success in the women’s event since 2000 when Mary Pierce beat Conchita Martinez. The hunger for a men’s champion is even deeper. Yannick Noah hoisted the trophy in 1983.

“I'm not here to create enemies,” Muguruza added as she fought back the tears in her post match press confrerence. “I love playing here. I obviously was a little bit nervous and I couldn't really find my game. I don't think I did really something wrong out there.

"She recovered all of those double faults and there were a few points that she played well at the end of the match and that was it.”

Mladenovic said though the raucous support was in her favour - was a double eedged sword. "Maybe I'd like a bit of peace and quiet to remain focused and not get overexcited," she said. "It's not easy for me, either, because with that attitude, I'm putting a whole lot of pressure on myself. Because everyone is there behind me."

For a place in the semi-final, Mladenovic will play the 30th seed Timea Bacsinszky after she came from a set down to see off 10th seed Venus Williams.

 

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