• French Open, Day Nine

Stosur ends Henin's unbeaten run in Paris

Samantha Stosur severed Justine Henin's 24-game undefeated run © Getty Images

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• Profile: Justine Henin | Jelena Jankovic | Serena Williams

Men's round-up
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Samantha Stosur became the first player to defeat Justine Henin at the French Open since 2004 by sealing a 2-6 6-1 6-4 fourth-round triumph.

Four-time winner Henin, who was making her first appearance at Roland Garros since she ended her 20-month retirement, was the bookmakers' favourite for the tournament - and her exit flings the competition wide open.

The No. 7 seed severed Henin's 24-game undefeated run with a display of unbridled aggression, striking nearly twice as many winners as her opponent across the three sets.

"I knew what I had to do," a jubilant Stosur said after the match. "I kept going for it and I believed in myself."

She now faces Serena Williams, who was back to her ruthless best as she crushed Shahar Peer 6-2 6-2.

Williams struggled with sickness in her third-round tie against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, where she flirted with a premature exit from the tournament - but she seemed to have recovered against Peer.

The American, who was in total command throughout, dismantled the Peer serve by stepping forward from the baseline and unleashing a barrage of ferocious returns. She was able to break her opponent's delivery, which was nowhere near venomous enough to threaten, at will.

Peer had won more matches than any other player on Tour this year coming into the game - Williams missed four months in early 2010 with injury - but the confidence she gleaned from those triumphs could not stop the second set being as one-sided as the first.

The Israeli did her best to offer some variation to her play, but her limp groundstrokes were swatted away with disdain by the world No. 1 as she marched towards victory.

Speaking about Stosur, Williams said: "She is no pushover. She has beaten me before and I shall have to play my best game. You can never underestimate anyone and Sam is a wonderful clay-court player. She has a good chance to go all the way. She is fast, she is strong and she has a great serve. She plays a real all-round game."

No. 4 seed Jelena Jankovic remains in contention for the title after overcoming the dangerous Daniela Hantuchova 6-4 6-2. The Serb, who reached the semi-finals in 2007 and 2008, dominated from start to finish, nailing several winners off her backhand in a ruthless display of baseline hitting.

Jankovic will have to beat Yaroslava Shvedova to reach her third semi-final in Paris. The 22-year-old booked her place in the last eight with a solid 6-4 6-3 win over Jarmila Groth.

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