Mauresmo bows out in day of shocks

DEFENDING champion Amelie Mauresmo’s surprise defeat to Czech youngster Lucie Safarova capped off a day of shocks in the fourth round of the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Safarova — a few weeks shy of her 20th birthday — took the match in straight sets 6-4 6-3 after second seed Mauresmo struggled to combat her hard-hitting style.

There were more upsets on day seven, with third seed and 2004 US Open winner Svetlana Kuznetsova and ninth seed Dinara Safina both bundled out in straight sets.