Serena forced out of Paris

PARIS – Svetlana Kuznetsova squandered a big lead Wednesday but still ended Serena Williams’ 18-match Grand Slam winning streak by winning, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 7-5, in the French Open quarterfinals.

The second-seeded Williams was seeking her third successive major title and the 11th of her career.

Roger Federer, however, moved one step closer to the only Grand Slam title he has yet to win, beating Frenchman Gael Monfils 7-6 (6), 6-2, 6-4. It’s the 20th consecutive time Fed,erer has reached the semifinals in a major tournament.

Federer took the partisan crowd out of the match with his most impressive performance of the tournament. He saved a set point in the tiebreaker when Monfils hit a backhand wide, swept the next two points to win the set and pulled away by winning 18 of his final 19 service points.

Federer’s path to a record-tying 14th Grand Slam title became easier when four-time defending champion Rafael Nadal was upset Sunday. With Nadal’s absence comes higher expectations.

“I felt some pressure before this match,” Federer said. “I was very nervous, because I thought it would be very difficult.”

Federer is 5-0 against his opponent Friday, No. 5-seeded Juan Martin del Potro. The 6-foot-6 Argentine advanced to his first Grand Slam semifinal by beating No. 16 Tommy Robredo, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

Williams was on the verge of reaching the women’s final four after mounting a comeback and taking a 3-1 lead in the final set. She blamed nerves for her defeat.

“In the third set I had an opportunity and I got really tight, and I pretty much gave it to her,” Williams said. “It was like, `Here, do you want to go to the semis? Because I don’t.’ She was like, `OK.”’

The No. 7-seeded Kuznetsova faced a set point serving at 5-6 in the first set but erased it with a slam and won that set. Williams rallied three points from defeat to even the match, then took a 3-1 lead in the third.

“It was very confusing,” Kuznetsova said. “Yes, I missed my moments, but she also was playing good.”

The seesaw struggle was so close that midway through the third set, each player had won 100 points.

Kuznetsova mounted the final comeback and broke serve in the last game when a weary Williams committed three unforced errors, including a backhand pushed wide on match point.

“Honestly, I think I lost because of me, and not because of anything she did,” Williams said.

Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open champion, is seeking her second major title. Her opponent Thursday will be Samantha Stosur of Australia, who reached her first major semifinal by beating Sorana Cirstea of Romania, 6-1, 6-3.

Stosur, 25, has never won a tour title.

Kuznetsova bounced back from being sent to the court in a messy spill that left her covered with clay.

Kuznetsova was serving one point from a 5-2 lead in the second set when she turned her right ankle in pursuit of a shot and fell on her back. She rose with clay covering the back of her shirt and the length of her right arm. Dirt was in her hair and even on her forehead.

She was unhurt and play quickly resumed, but it took awhile for Kuznetsova to regain her footing.

The Russian won with high-risk tennis, whacking winners into both corners and sometimes choosing angles that surprised Williams. Kuznetsova showed lots of variety, too – when she hit a crosscourt lob, Williams staggered helplessly as she watched the ball land beyond her reach. (AP)