Top 2 women are history - literally

PARIS - If Caroline Wozniacki truly was torn up inside about her latest loss at a Grand Slam tournament, she certainly hid it well.

Wozniacki smiled and shrugged while deflecting questions about being No. 1 despite never having won a major title. Her wait for a breakthrough was extended yesterday, when she was beaten, 6-1, 6-3, by 28th-seeded Daniela Hantuchova, of Slovakia, in the third round of the French Open.

After the match, Wozniacki was consoled by her father. She said he told her: "The world still goes on, and we still have the next tournament next week. There is nothing you can do about it now, so just don't beat yourself up too much."

Wozniacki's early exit came a day after No. 2 Kim Clijsters was eliminated by 114th-ranked Arantxa Rus, marking the first time that the top two seeded women failed to make the round of 16 at any Grand Slam tournament in the Open era, which began in 1968. It never had happened at the French Open since it began admitting foreign entrants in 1925.

"Kim had a tough loss yesterday; I had a tough loss today. That's what happens," said Wozniacki, a Dane who reached No. 1 in October and has been there every week but one since then. "Since we're No. 1 and 2, it means that we must be doing something right. It's just unfortunate to lose in a Grand Slam, but that's what happens, and we just need to move forward."

Hantuchova explained the surprises this way: "It just shows how strong women's tennis is at the moment. It's very open."

As if to prove that point, another title contender, Sam Stosur, of Australia, was beaten 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 by 51st-ranked Gisela Dulko, of Argentina. But defending champion Francesca Schiavone, of Italy, advanced when No. 29 Peng Shuai, of China, stopped playing because she has a cold and couldn't breathe properly.

The most anticipated matchup of the day did not begin until early evening - and did not finish. No. 2 Novak Djokovic, who is on a 41-match winning streak, was tied at a set apiece with Juan Martin del Potro, who is ranked 25th, when play was suspended because of darkness. The second-seeded Djokovic won the first set 6-3, but del Potro took the second by the same score.

Earlier, Roger Federer saved the only break point he faced in a 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 victory over No. 29 Janko Tipsarevic, of Serbia.

Schiavone will play No. 10 Jelena Jankovic, of Serbia, who beat Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the U.S., 6-2, 6-2. Hantuchova, meanwhile, meets No. 13 Svetlana Kuznetsova, who defeated Canadian Rebecca Marino, 6-0, 6-4.