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Williams sisters, Federer crash out

AFP, Beijing
Top seed Roger Federer and Venus and Serena Williams all went .crashing out of the Olympic Games -^quarterfinals on Thursday as the tournament was rocked by major upsets.
James Blake secured his first win over Federer 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) to increase the Swiss maestro's woes, while Serena Williams' campaign ended at the hands of Russia's Elena Dementieva 3-6,6-4,6-3.
Venus followed with a stunning reverse against China’s Li Na. ranked 42, who raised the Centre Court roof with a 7-5,7-5 win.
Federer, who hands over his number one crown to Rafael Nadal on Monday, was broken when serving for the first set and was crushed in the second- set tie-break.
Blake, 28, collapsed to his knees and roared with delight as he celebrated the win. which he described as a career highlight He had taken only one set off Federer in nine attempts stretching back to 2003.
For Federer, it was his third defeat in six matches since losing his five-year Wimbledon crown to Nadal five weeks ago. The 12-time Grand Slam winner has spent a
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record four-and-a-half years as world number one.
Venus Williams' defeat was even more unthinkable given her Wimbledon win last month, but the 2000 doubles and singles champion wilted in a pressure-cooker atmosphere created by thousands of noisy fans.
Li becomes the first Chinese to reach an Olympic semifinal where she will play either top-ranked Jelena Jankovic or Russian sixth seed Dinara Safina.
Number four seed Serena Williams, also one of the clear favourites after a series of pullouts, was seeking her first singles medal after winning doubles gold in 2000 but missing Athens 2004 injured.
After a blistering start she appeared to run out of steam, 1 double-faulting to hand over the ; second set and quickly going 5-1 ' down in the decider.
"I didn't serve really well. It was what it was. It hasn't sunk in yet," said the glum American.
Federer's dismal start to the American hardcourt season, with defeats to Gilles Simon and Ivo Karlovic, has given his rivals hope and Blake, wearing a red headband with his white shirt and blue shorts, , started with grim intent.