Defending champion Maria Sharapova out of French Open

Defending champion Maria Sharapova has been knocked out in the fourth round of the French Open by world number 13 Lucie Safarova.

It is the fourth time in six Grand Slams that the Russian has failed to reach the quarter-finals.

Sharapova dropped serve early on in the opening set, but she clawed the break back before Safarova went on to win the tie-break for a 7-6[3] victory in the first.

Safarova opened up a commanding 3-0 lead in the second as Sharapova struggled, though the world number two eventually recovered to get back on level terms at 4-4.

The five-time Grand Slam champion was forced to save a match point at 4-5 down before Safarova converted her second to set up a quarter-final clash with Garbine Muguruza.