Francesca Schiavone, the 2010 French Open champion, tumbled out of Roland Garros and the world top 20 on Saturday in a marathon three-hour, three-set loss to unseeded American Varvara Lepchenko.
Italian 14th seed Schiavone, who was also runner-up to Li Na last year and the oldest woman left in the tourament, lost 3-6, 6-3, 8-6 to Lepchenko, the world number 63 who has now reached the last 16 of a Grand Slam for the first time. The Uzbekistan-born left-hander also provided another timely boost for American women’s tennis which was sent reeling by the shock first loss of Serena Williams and the more predictable second round exit of Venus Williams.
