By Jocelyn Noveck
Associated Press
Tuesday, June 2, 1998; 11:36 a.m. EDT

PARIS — Playing like the champion she is, Martina Hingis ousted Venus Williams from the French Open today, ending the American teenager's run in Paris.

Williams, who powered her way through the first four rounds, met her match in the world's No. 1 player and lost 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.

"I didn't play as well as I should have," Williams said. "I made too many errors. These things, I assure you, will be corrected."

Hingis last year won every Grand Slam event except the French Open. Now she is two victories from capturing the lone major to elude her.

``She's raising her game,'' Williams said. ``Everyone else has to raise theirs, too.''

Also eliminated was defending champion Iva Majoli, who was beaten by No. 2 seed Lindsay Davenport, 6-1, 5-7, 6-3. Davenport joked that she might be the most overlooked semifinalist.

``If I was a betting person or a journalist, I would overlook myself also,'' she said. ``I don't have a tag. I'm just an ordinary girl playing tennis and having success. That's a boring story.''

In a showdown billed worthy of a final, Hingis used her deft touch and court sense to wear down Williams. She almost always seemed in control, never looking off-balance or rushed.

Hingis raced to a 3-0 lead, but Williams broke in the fifth game for 3-2 as the Swiss star twice double-faulted. Hingis then broke right back for 4-2, and held on to win the set.

In the second set, Williams had a chance to break Hingis for 2-0, racking up three break points. But Hingis won five straight points to take the game.

In the crucial game of the set, Hingis broke Williams for 4-3 -- again on two double faults, this time by Williams.

Also reaching the semifinals was No. 4 Aranxta Sanchez Vicario. The two-time champion from Spain lost a tiebreak in the second set but recovered to beat Patty Schnyder of Switzerland 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-0.

But another former champion, Thomas Muster, continued a disappointing year with a quarterfinal loss to No. 15 Felix Mantilla of Spain, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. The Austrian's ranking has dropped this past year from ninth to 22nd.

Leading to the headline match, Hingis wasn't ready to call Williams a true rival.

``Everybody else is trying to make rivalries against me,'' she said. ``Venus, she won Key Biscayne, but that's not a Grand Slam. ... I'm No. 1, I've won four Grand Slams. I have the self-confidence.''

Williams, seeded eighth at Roland Garros in just her fourth event on clay, responded diplomatically.

``I think that she's playing good tennis, and she has every right to say what she wants to,'' Williams said.

Marat Safin, an 18-year-old qualifier, used his power to carve his way through the first three rounds. His tournament ended on Monday, however, in five tough sets.

The French fans chanted wildly for his opponent, Frenchman Cedric Pioline. ``Allez Cedric!'' they yelled. But as the match wore on, there were growing chants of ``Ma-RAT! Ma-RAT!''

It was in tribute to the remarkable showing by the Russian playing his first Grand Slam event. He began the tournament ranked 116th in the world, but won't be there much longer.

``I think I can beat good players now,'' he said after Pioline won 7-5, 4-6, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4.

Safin's tournament started with three qualifying matches just to get into the main draw.

Next up was Andre Agassi, in the midst of a strong comeback. Safin, however, had the answer to every problem Agassi presented. Then he ousted defending champion Gustavo Kuerten, ranked eighth in the world, in another five-setter.

In the third round, Safin had a slightly easier time, needing only four sets to beat Daniel Vacek of the Czech Republic.

That set up the match with Pioline. The 28-year-old Frenchman is erratic, but brilliant on occasion. He has reached the finals of Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, both times losing to Pete Sampras.

Pioline has a reputation for choking. Although he has reached 12 singles finals in his career, he has won only two titles. Safin, however, knew nothing of that.

``Nobody told me,'' he said.

It didn't matter. This time it was Safin who unraveled. Pioline broke the Russian three times, including once in the fifth set. That was enough.