BERLIN - Top seed Maria Sharapova lost 6-2 6-4 to former world number one Justine Henin-Hardenne in the German Open quarter-finals today, missing a chance to rise to No 1 in the world rankings.
Earlier, defending champion Amelie Mauresmo was knocked out by Russian Nadia Petrova, losing a baseline-dominated quarter-final
6-2 6-3, to leave the claycourt tournament without its top five seeds.
Sharapova made a confident start, breaking Henin's opening service game, but the Belgian broke straight back and won the next six games.
"At crucial points she came up with the good shots," Sharapova told reporters.
"She has played a lot of matches on clay and having won two titles must give her a lot of confidence."
Henin came to Berlin fresh from victory in Warsaw on Sunday and has been enjoying her return to action after injury and illness.
"I think I played a very good match today," said the 22-year-old Henin.
"I was patient and aggressive and I played well tactically."
Henin said the wet court had slowed the match down, allowing her to plan and mix her shots.
Sharapova struggled to hold serve throughout the contest but the Wimbledon champion was not too disappointed after failing to become world No 1.
"Of course it would have been an amazing honour.... but I am No 2 in the world, I am 18 years old, and at this point I am pretty satisfied," she said.
Sharapova's performance was patchy as she made 30 unforced errors and hit too many serves and returns wide.
Before the quarter-finals she had dropped only seven games after getting a bye into the second round. Henin had been forced to three sets by each of her previous opponents.
Second seed Mauresmo looked under pressure from the start and produced 34 unforced errors and six double faults in Berlin's Steffi Graf claycourt stadium.
"Conditions were pretty tough but I think have some work to do on this surface," Mauresmo said.
Later a buoyant Patty Schnyder, seeded seventh, dropped just four games in a 6-2 6-2 demolition of Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova, the fourth seed, in only 52 minutes. She will play Henin in the semi-final.
Petrova faces Jelena Jankovic of Serbia and Montenegro or Elena Bovina of Russia, whose quarter-final was stopped because of bad light.
- REUTERS
