OMNISPORT

Defending women's champion Garbine Muguruza has been knocked out of the French Open in a 6-1 3-6 6-3 fourth-round defeat to home favourite Kristina Mladenovic.

Mladenovic was not at her best during her first last-16 match at Roland Garros but came up against an opponent who was performing even further below her own high standards.

After collapsing to defeat in the first set, Muguruza battled back to level in the second and looked determined - at times desperate - not to let go of her title without a fight.

But this was to be Mladenovic's day as she wrapped up the win with two breaks in the decider, securing a popular victory among the French fans.

Thirteenth seed Mladenovic made a flying start with the vociferous backing of her home crowd on Court Suzanne Lenglen - unfamiliar surroundings for Muguruza, who had played each of her previous three matches in this year's tournament on Court Philippe Chatrier.

And the 24-year-old appeared energised by the atmosphere as she made an immediate break of serve before taking the set by reeling off four games on the spin to stun the 2016 winner.

Muguruza showed signs of life when she won the opening game of the second to love on Mladenovic's serve and survived three break points to hold in the next.

An epic fifth game went Muguruza's way when she converted her fifth break point. The Spaniard had a spring in her step while Mladenovic had pain in her back, taking time to stretch as she fell a double break down.

Mladenovic soldiered on through her persistent back problem and reduced her deficit to one break as Muguruza stuttered in her bid to wrap up the set, but the Spaniard sent the match to a decider by hitting back immediately.

The pendulum swung back towards Mladenovic as she began the final set with a break and, despite her unwelcome penchant for a double fault - she racked up 16 over the course of the match - the 2016 women's doubles champion survived three break points to hold in the next.

At 4-2 up Mladenovic gestured to rally her fans, who responded with chants of "Kiki, Kiki, Kiki". A lonely sounding "Vamos Garbine" broke the silence that followed, emphasising the split in support for these two players.

And Mladenovic fed off that backing, delivering her first love hold of the match in her next service game before making one last break to clinch a victory that sent her supporters wild.