FRENCH OPEN Venus Williams upended

Russian Vera Zvonareva beat the American in three sets.
PARIS (AP) -- Venus Williams stroked yet another errant shot, then put a hand over her eyes, as if trying to shield them from her unsightly performance.
There was no hiding from Vera Zvonareva, a poised and precocious 18-year-old Russian who beat Williams 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 on Sunday in the fourth round of the French Open.
"A turning point in tennis history," said a tournament news release trumpeting the upset. That might be an overstatement, but for the first time in the past five Grand Slam events, Serena Williams will be denied a chance to beat her older sister in the final.
Zvonareva's persistence had a lot to do with the upset. She skidded into both corners to retrieve shots, extending rallies until Williams made a mistake.
75 unforced errors
And often that's what happened. Williams committed 75 unforced errors and hit 12 double-faults, accounting for 87 of the 100 points Zvonareva won.
Some of those errors made the center-court crowd groan -- such as the easy slam Williams sailed 15 feet long.
"I was really off," she said. "I just had a tough time keeping balls in."
Compatriots Jennifer Capriati and Lindsay Davenport had their problems, too. Like Williams, Capriati faced an eager young Russian and lost, while Davenport quit trailing in the second set after she aggravated a strained toe on her left foot that has bothered her for about a month.
That left only two American women in the quarterfinals -- Serena Williams and eighth-seeded Chanda Rubin.
Defending champion Williams trailed in the first set but rallied to beat Ai Sugiyama 7-5, 6-3. Her opponent Tuesday will be France's Amelie Mauresmo, who upset Williams in the Rome semifinal May 17.
"You've really got to try and get your head clear of all the media hype around the Williamses," Mauresmo said, "and realize that these are not players from outer space."
Mauresmo, seeded fifth, advanced by beating Magui Serna 6-1, 6-2. Nadia Petrova upset 2001 champion Capriati 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
"I thought I had pretty good chances in this tournament," said Capriati, who was seeded seventh. "Goes to show you, you just never know."
Petrova will next play Zvonareva, renewing a rivalry that dates back 10 years. Petrova was then 10 and Zvonareva 8.
Others in quarterfinals
Joining the newcomers in the quarterfinals is 31-year-old Conchita Martinez, who had a lead of 6-4, 2-0 when Davenport was forced to quit. Martinez will next face No. 2 Kim Clijsters, who started slowly but beat No. 15 Magdalena Maleeva 0-6, 6-2, 6-1.
Rubin beat Petra Mandula 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 and next plays No. 4 Justine Henin-Hardenne, who celebrated her 21st birthday by eliminating No. 19 Patty Schnyder 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.
On the men's side, 1999 champion Andre Agassi reached the quarterfinals for the fourth time in five years by beating Flavio Saretta 6-2, 6-1, 7-5.
No. 4 Carlos Moya, the 1998 champion, defeated No. 13 Jiri Novak 7-5, 6-3, 6-2. He'll next face Dutchman Martin Verkerk, who upset No. 11 Rainer Schuettler 6-3, 6-3, 7-5.