French Open 2014 results: Serena Williams’ loss highlights chaos on the women’s draw

We have seen all week that seedings mean little in this year’s French Open, but to drive the point home the fates decided to send women’s No. 1 Serena Williams packing during Round 2 in a straight-set loss to unseeded Garbine Muguruza on Wednesday. The result was easily the most shocking of the tournament thus far (even if, as Bill Connelly explained, we shouldn’t be that shocked), and emphasized yet again that tennis looks a lot different when played on clay.

Williams’ loss also highlighted the parity present in the women’s game. Five other ranked women lost alongside Williams -- No. 12 Flavia Pennetta, No. 16 Sabine Lisicki, No. 20 Alizé Cornet, No. 29 Venus Williams (Serena’s sister, duh) and No. 32 Elena Vesnina.

In stark contrast, the favorites on the men’s draw largely reined victorious, and in impressive fashion. Of the ranked players who won, only No. 6 Tomas Berdych, No. 10 John Isner and No. 25 Marin Cilic needed more than three sets.

No. 2 Novak Djokovic made easy work of Jeremy Chardy. Roger Federer’s victory over Diego Sebastian Schwartzman was harder earned -- he went down 2-1 in the first set after an early break, and was down 3-2 and 4-3 in the second -- but ultimately the aging superstar was able to close out comfortably against a much younger opponent.

No. 15 Mikhail Youzhny and No. 20 Alexandr Dolgopolov had the distinction of being the only ranked men’s players to lose.

Play was suspended late Wednesday in France due to darkness. Two women’s singles matches will finish up Thursday -- Pauline Parmentier has the serve up 2-1 in the third set of a 1-1 match against Yaroslava Shvedova, and Monica Niculescu is serving to Paula Ormaechea up 2-0 in the second set after winning the first set handily.

Men’s Singles

No. 2 Novak Djokovic def. Jeremy Chardy -- 6-1, 6-4, 6-2
No. 4 Roger Federer def. Diego Sebastian Schwartzman -- 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
No. 6 Tomas Berdych def. Aleksandr Nedovyesov -- 6-7 (11), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3
No. 8 Milos Raonic def. Jiri Vesely -- 7-6 (11), 6-4, 6-1
No. 10 John Isner def. Mikhail Kukushkin -- 6-7 (14), 7-6 (11), 6-3, 7-6 (11)
No. 13 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Jurgen Melzer -- 6-2, 6-3, 6-4
Radek Stepanek def. No. 15 Mikhail Youzhny -- 6-0, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
No. 27 Roberto Bautista Agut def. Benoit Paire -- 6-4, 7-6 (11), 6-2
No. 29 Gilles Simon def. Alejandro Gonzalez -- 6-4, 6-0, 6-2

Women’s Singles

Garbine Muguruza def. No. 1 Serena Williams -- 6-2, 6-2
No. 3 Agnieszka Radwanska vs. Karolina Pliskova -- 6-3, 6-4
No. 7 Maria Sharapova vs. Tsvetana Pironkova -- 7-5, 6-2
No. 8 Angelique Kerber def. Varvara Lepchenko -- 6-2, 7-5
No. 9 Dominika Cibulkova def. Tamira Paszek -- 6-3, 6-4
Johanna Larsson def. No. 12 Flavia Pennetta -- 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
Mona Barthel def. No. 16 Sabine Lisicki -- 6-1, 3-0
Taylor Townsend def. No. 20 Alizé Cornet -- 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
No. 19 Samantha Stosur def. Yvonne Meusburger -- 6-1, 6-3
Anna Schmiedlova def. No. 29 Venus Williams -- 2-6, 6-3, 6-4