Holder Serena Williams was shocked 6-2 6-2 by Spain’s Garbine Muguruza in the French Open second round yesterday, an hour after her elder sister Venus was ousted at the second grand slam of the year.

Garbine Muguruza... stunned world no.1 Serena Williams.

On a chilly day in Paris, Serena Wiliams never looked the force that has won 17 major titles.

Her 20-year-old opponent broke the American’s serve twice early in the first set and made the most of a series of unforced errors by a leaden-footed Williams.

The Spaniard, ranked 35 in the world, did not release the pressure and the match became a repeat of the nightmare of 2012, when Williams lost in the first round, not the glory of 2013 when she beat Maria Sharapova in the final.

A netted return from Williams sent the Spaniard into ecstasy and even Williams’s mother, Oracene, smiled as Muguruza leapt about the court.

“Of course, it’s amazing,” Muguruza said.

“I had to be really aggressive and focused. Today is a great day. I’m so happy,” the Spaniard shouted.

Serena was philosophical, saying: “I don’t think anything worked for me today. It was just one of those days, you can’t be on (your game) every day.

“It’s not the end of the world, there’s always next year.”

After the defeat of China‘s Li Na in the first round on Tuesday, it is the first time since tennis turned professional in 1968 that the top two women’s seeds have failed to reach the third round at a grand slam.

It is also the third time, after 2004 and 2008, that both Williams sisters have lost on the same day at the French Open.

The big names on the men’s side of the draw suffered no problems in reaching the third round.

Novak Djokovic, the second seed, despatched Jeremy Chardy of France 6-1 6-4 6-2 while Roger Federer, seeded fourth, won 6-3 6-4 6-4 against Diego Sebastian Schwartzman of Argentina, a player he had never seen before.

Chardy, who beat Federer at the Rome Masters earlier this month, spelled out why Djokovic is fancied to end Rafa Nadal’s reign here.

“He was simply stronger than me, bigger than me in all compartments. You’re always under pressure. He knows everything. He can do everything,” he said.

Czech Tomas Berdych, the sixth seed, started slowly before beating Aleksandr Nedovyesov of Kazakhstan 6-7(4) 6-4 7-5 6-3. Eighth seed Milos Raonic got past Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic 7-6(4) 6-4 6-1.

The Williams sisters had been due to meet in the third round but that was knocked off the agenda when Venus became the first seed to lose in the second round, falling 2-6 6-3 6-4 to Anna Schmiedlova of Slovakia.

“This is the biggest win of my life,” said Schmiedlova.

Flavia Pennetta, seeded 12th, joined the Williams sisters in heading for the exit after going down 5-7 6-4 6-2 to Johanna Larsson.

Eugenie Bouchard, the 18th seed, recovered from a slow start to beat Julia Goerges in three sets.

On the men’s side, Mikhail Youzhny, the 15th seed, lost 6-0 6-3 3-6 6-4 to Radek Stepanek before Marcel Granollers overturned a two-set deficit to beat Alexandr Dolgopolov 1-6 3-6 6-3 6-0 6-2.

Gilles Simon eased past Alejandro Gonzales 6-4 6-0 6-2 and there were straight-set wins for Roberto Bautista Agut and Ernests Gulbis.

Other result: Sharapova bt Pironkova 7-5 6-2.