PARIS — Defending champion Maria Sharapova’s bid for a third French Open title in four years is over.
Coughing between points on an overcast day, the second-seeded Sharapova was outplayed throughout a 7-6 (3), 6-4 loss to 13th-seeded Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic in the fourth round on Monday.
“My opponent had a different gear than I did,” Sharapova said.
It is her earliest defeat at Roland Garros since 2010. She won the tournament in 2012 and 2014, and was the runner-up to Serena Williams in 2013.
Safarova dictated much of the action and held her nerve as the far more experienced and accomplished Sharapova tried to mount a comeback in the second set.