The top-ranked Williams stumbled in the quarterfinals Wednesday, squandering a match point and losing to Australian spoiler Samantha Stosur, 6-2, 6-7 (2), 8-6. A 12-time Grand Slam champion, Williams won her only French Open title in 2002 and hasn't been to the semifinals since 2003.Williams mounted one of her patented comebacks, and as the tension built in an error-filled third set, she needed only one point in the 10th game for the victory.
It was Williams' first Grand Slam loss since her meltdown in the semifinals of the U.S. Open last September against Kim Clijsters. This time she directed any anger only at herself — and her shoes.
Williams hit 13 aces but also nine double-faults and committed 46 unforced errors to 24 for Stosur.
Williams was serving at 2-3, 30-all in the first set when her game began to unravel. She committed unforced errors on the next two points to lose serve, and Stosur won the next three games at love, a shocking streak against the world's No. 1 player.
