Paris (AFP)

Serena Williams, former world No. 1 today 8th, was eliminated in the round of 16 at Roland Garros by the young Kazakhe Elena Rybakina (22nd) in straight sets 6-3, 7-5 in just over 1:15 a.m. Sunday.

As she approaches her fortieth birthday, the American sees her quest for a 24th Grand Slam crown, which would allow her to equal the all-time record for major titles held by Australian Margaret Court, vanish once again. more.

At the Australian Open last February, she stalled in the semi-finals.

It was the first time since 2018 that Serena Williams had managed to climb into the second week of Roland Garros.

If the clay is the surface that is less successful for her, the forfeits (Halep, Osaka), retirement (Barty) and early eliminations (Sabalenka, Svitolina, Andreescu) many top 10 players had significantly cleared the women's table.

But, at the end of the afternoon on the Central, the American champion was suffocated by the dry strikes of Rybakina.

In the first set, the young Kazakhe (21) quickly widened the gap 4 games to 1, in just fifteen minutes.

Serena came back to 4-3, but Rybakina immediately took to the sea.

In the second, the latter saw the American twice fill a break behind, but she was able to find the resources to once again seize the service of her opponent, white as a bonus, and conclude on her second opportunity. .

"I'm very happy, it was incredible. Of course I was nervous, especially since in the end I was serving less well," admitted Rybakina.

For her first Grand Slam quarter-final, at 21, she will face Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (32nd).

The tall Kazakhe (1.84 m) has not yet lost a single round since the start of the Paris fortnight.

There are now only two top 10 left in the women's table, Iga Swiatek, the winner of the 2020 edition, and Sofia Kenin, the unfortunate finalist.

Serena Williams arrived in Paris with only one clay court victory this season in two tournaments (Rome and Parma).

Before mid-May, she had not been seen on the circuit since her loss in the semi-finals of the Australian Open (against Osaka) in early February.

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