The two most talked-about women at this French Open, Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka, crashed out of the third round in straight sets to unseeded players, opening up the draw for the defending champion, Simona Halep, who won easily – and maybe Johanna Konta, who plays on Sunday.

Williams, the three-times champion and owner of 23 majors, was as stunned as everyone watching in the fading light of Court Philippe Chatrier when her 20-year-old compatriot Sofia Kenin, ranked 35 in the world, hit her off the court to reach the fourth round, winning 6-2, 7-5. Osaka, the world No 1 and winner of the previous two grand slams, had earlier exited in utter confusion, losing 6-4, 6-2 to the world No 42, Katerina Siniakova.

French Open 2019: Osaka crashes out, Djokovic eases through – live! Read more

The Williams result was a major surprise, rather than the earthquake result it might have been two years ago. But, indisputably, Kenin – born in Moscow, raised in Florida and a rising star who idolises Williams as well as Maria Sharapova – has announced her arrival in the big time.

Letting the tears flow immediately afterwards, Kenin said: “A lot of emotions. Serena is a true champion, a lot of respect for her. Playing against Serena you’ve got to fight for every point. I’m just so happy for this win.”

Quick guide French Open: quarter-final draws Show Hide Men's singles (1) Novak Djokovic v Alexander Zverev (5)

(4) Dominic Thiem v (10) Karen Khachanov

Stan Wawrinka (24) v Roger Federer (3)

(7) Kei Nishikori v Rafael Nadal (2) Women's singles Madison Keys (14) v Ashleigh Barty (8)

(3) Simona Halep v Amanda Anisimova

(7) Sloane Stephens v Johanna Konta (26)

Marketa Vondrousova v Petra Martic (31)



Anxiety struck early when Williams saved four break points but not a fifth, as Kenin’s drop shot secured a 3-2 lead after a quarter of an hour. Williams blew a break point to level, and Kenin cashed in on her opponent’s nerves to break for 5-2. Kenin was called on a tight double fault at 40-30 but stayed cool to wrap up the set with a big serve down the T.

Williams’s game was disintegrating under quality pressure, as it had done when Osaka beat her in the US Open final last year, and she dropped serve at the start of second set. Kenin, who had won 10 of her previous 12 matches against fellow Americans, was hitting without fear to all parts of the court.

Williams steadied the boat with a welcome hold in the third game and broke for the first time after 66 minutes, for 3-3. But her second serve collapsed again in the 11th game and Kenin thrashed an unreachable forehand. Kenin had to save break point to get to match point, then dumped a forehand. She wrong-footed Williams mid-court for a second grab at the prize, and could hardly believe it when her illustrious opponent put a final backhand long.

“She played really well, particularly in the first set, inches from the line,” Williams said. “I haven’t played anyone like that in a long time. I just saw a player that was playing unbelievable. I was pretty far away from [optimal form and and condition]. I’m glad I came, though. I love the city and I love the tournament, but it’s been a really gruelling season for me.”

Asked if she would be ready for Wimbledon in four weeks time, she said, “I hope so.”

Less impressed was fourth seed Dominic Thiem, who was bounced from his press conference when Williams insisted on getting her thoughts out immediately after her match. “It’s a joke,” he was heard to say on his way back to the locker room.

Osaka, the reigning US and Australian title-holder, was reaching for an unprecedented hat-trick of majors at the outset of her remarkable career, with ambitions of doing well at Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows too, but was all over the place as the sun beat down pitilessly on a windless Court Suzanne Lenglen. The 21-year-old hit 38 unforced errors in a little over an hour and a quarter.

“It’s weird but me losing is probably the best thing that could have happened,” she said. “I was over-thinking this calendar slam. It is something I have wanted to do for ever but ... if it was that easy, everyone would have done it.”

Halep, who struggled intermittently early in the week, breezed past the 27th seed, Lesia Tsurenko, 6-2, 6-1, in under an hour – not a lot of time for thinking in that one.

Konta, on the other side of the draw, played the best clay-court tennis of her career on Friday, outsmarting Viktoria Kuzmova in straight sets to set up a rematch with her friend and rival Donna Vekic, who lost to her in a memorable second-round match at Wimbledon two years ago.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Naomi Osaka shakes hands with Katerina Siniakova after the Czech player’s third-round win. Photograph: Martin Bureau/AFP/Getty Images

Meanwhile Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev both stayed in the tournament after unexpected and contrasting struggles on Saturday.

Ashleigh Barty on brink of world top five after moving into French Open third round Read more

Tsitsipas, perhaps the most impressive of the game’s arriving contenders in this summer of flux, was reminded how precarious his calling can be when the world No 60, Filip Krajinovic, delayed his progress into the fourth round for three and a half hours.

If the sixth seed is to reach the semi-finals, he will have to beat the former champion Stan Wawrinka – who saved five set points in the third tie-break before subduing the challenge of Grigor Dimitrov, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (4), 7-6 (8) – and probably Roger Federer, who plays Leonardo Mayer in the fourth round.

Tsitsipas was two sets up and five-all in the third when the light faded on Friday night but Krajinovic immediately ripped up the script when they resumed. The Serb took a set then blew up when tantalisingly close to forcing a fifth, and Tsitsipas went through 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6).

Zverev, seeded fifth, played for half an hour less and one set longer before seeing off Krajinovic’s compatriot Dusan Lajovic, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 1-6, 6-2, after hanging perilously by his fingertips mid-match.

Novak Djokovic is yet to drop a set and, after saving four break points in a nervous start, was ruthless in beating the Italian qualifier Salvatore Caruso 6-3, 6-3, 6-2. The world No 1 has given up only 24 games to reach the fourth round for the 13th time and is in the mood and form to upset Rafael Nadal, who wants an even dozen titles here.