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PARIS - So unbeatable for so long until the closing days of Grand Slam tournaments, Roger Federer is suddenly accumulating early exits. Federers streak of nine consecutive quarter-finals at the French Open ended Sunday with a 6-7 (5), 7-6 (3), 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 fourth-round loss to 18th-seeded Ernests Gulbis of Latvia. "A lot of regrets," Federer said. "I just couldnt kind of figure it out." The 17-time Grand Slam champion had not left Roland Garros so soon since 2004, when he was beaten in the third round by Gustavo Kuerten. After that decade-old setback, though, Federer made at least the quarter-finals at a record 36 consecutive major tournaments, a streak that ended with a second-round loss at Wimbledon last year. Federer also put together record Slam runs of 10 finals and 23 semifinals in a row when he was at his dominant best. Now the 32-year-old Federer has bowed out before the quarter-finals at three of the last four majors. "I think it was the biggest, probably, win of my career," said Gulbis, who most certainly could have dispensed with the word "probably." Addressing spectators who sang Federers first name between points, Gulbis said: "Im sorry I had to win. I know all of you like Roger." The result fit with the topsy-turvy nature of this tournament: Both reigning Australian Open champions, No. 3 Stan Wawrinka and No. 2 Li Na, lost in the first round; No. 1 Serena Williams left in the second round. Gulbis now plays No. 6 Tomas Berdych, who eliminated the last American man, No. 10 John Isner. In another quarter-final, No. 2 Novak Djokovic will face No. 8 Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont. Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and No. 24 Fernando Verdasco set up a fourth-round meeting by finishing off victories in matches suspended Saturday night because of fading light. In womens action, 2012 champion Maria Sharapova ran off the last nine games to come back and beat No. 19 Samantha Stosur 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 for a quarter-final berth against 35th-ranked Garbine Muguruza of Spain, the 20-year-old who stunned Williams last week. No. 18 Eugenie Bouchard, from Montreal, will face No. 14 Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain in another quarter-final. The fourth-seeded Federers resume includes the 2009 French Open title, and he was a four-time runner-up in Paris to Rafael Nadal. But Federer was hardly in top form Sunday, making 59 unforced errors and getting broken twice while serving for a set. That included at 5-3, 40-15 in the second, when Federer sent an overhead right to Gulbis, who whipped a backhand passing winner. "I was lucky, I have to say," Gulbis said about that point. "I was really lucky." Said Federer: "Things got tough from then on for, like, a half-hour for me." He lost the last five points of the second-set tiebreaker, then dropped the third set, too. Another key moment came when Gulbis left the court with a trainer to take a medical timeout while trailing 5-2 in the fourth. As he walked out, Gulbis motioned to Federer, as if asking for permission to go. When Gulbis returned, some fans jeered and whistled at him, and he pointed to his lower back as if to say, "Hey, I was injured." At his news conference, Federer alternated between sounding a little perturbed about the lengthy intermission — and resigned to the idea that what Gulbis did was within the rules. "In the past, I guess, its been abused much more than today, but still, what can you tell?" Federer said. "He didnt look hurt in any way. But if you can use it, you know, might as well do it." Gulbis strokes had momentarily gone astray before that break, but afterward, the 25-year-old Gulbis once again displayed the big-hitting tennis that had many marking him as a future star when he was a teenager. He won 10 of the next 12 points, punctuating shots with exhales that sounded like growls. The fifth set was all Gulbis, who hadnt been to the quarter-finals at a major tournament since the 2008 French Open. Hes spoken openly about focusing more on enjoying the nightlife than perfecting his craft, and drew attention last week for saying he wouldnt encourage his younger sisters to pursue professional tennis because a woman "needs to think about family, needs to think about kids." In the concluding set, Gulbis raced to a 3-0 lead, thanks largely to Federer miscues. In the second game, Federer netted backhands and forehands to offer up break points, then pushed a forehand wide to give Gulbis a lead he never relinquished. After that miss, Federer grabbed a ball and swatted it in anger straight up in the air, a rare sign of exasperation from him. "Hes Roger Federer, but he also gets tight, you know," Gulbis said. "Hes probably going to make (that forehand) seven out of 10 (times). Other guys are going to make two out of 10. Mistakes happen." New England Patriots Store . After just two league games in June, Toronto (6-4-1) will go on to play seven in July plus a friendly against Tottenham. Five of those contests are against Eastern Conference opposition, meaning valuable points in the playoff race are on the line. Fake Patriots Jerseys . -- Terry Francona likened the atmosphere at Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday to a playoff game in October. https://www.patriotsjerseysale.com/. - New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis says the club has an agreement to bring back outside linebacker Parys Haralson on a one-year deal. Stitched Patriots Jerseys . -- Mixed martial arts fighter Cristiane Justino Santos has been suspended and fined for testing positive for steroids. Patriots Jerseys 2020 . -- Falcons running back Steven Jackson, who has missed the last four games with a hamstring injury, is expected to practice on Wednesday.The most fitting summary of the Minnesota Wild at the midpoint of their schedule came from defenceman Ryan Suter minutes after their latest flat performance.I dont know what the heck is going on, Suter said. Every days a bad day.The sobering comment from the teams lone All-Star came in the dazed moments after a 4-1 defeat at Chicago on Sunday, the Wilds 11th loss in their last 13 games. Theyve fallen into 12th place in the 14-team Western Conference. Following their breakthrough last spring that landed them in the second round of the playoffs for only the second time in franchise history, the Wild have become one of the NHLs biggest flops this season.Its not fun to be part of. Its not fun to play, Suter said. I dont know whats going on.There is still time for a turnaround, but it has to happen fast. With their record down to 18-18-5, they are seven points off the playoffs cut with three teams ahead of them. With 41 of 82 games remaining, the Wild will have to win a lot more than half of those and hope for some slumps by their conference competitors to reach the post-season.Last season, they were barely better at the halfway mark at 20-16-5, but they finished 23-11-7 to snag the seventh seed. Their even stronger showing in the playoffs led to a new three-year contract for coach Mike Yeo. Thats hardly security, though, given the way the Wild have been playing.Im not going to get wrapped up in that. I know one thing: Im just going to keep doing my stuff. Thats the way I am, and I would expect the same from them, Yeo said.The Wild are currently missing centre Mikael Granlund with a broken left wrist, and they have had all kinds of illnesses during the first half of the season that affected their lineup. Only five skaters have appeared in every game. But the problems have run much deeper than injuries.Yeo was in a preecarious place a year ago after a six-game losing streak to finish 2013, but despite notable absences by Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise and the top two goalies, Yeo and his staff not only held together the group but guided a resurgence that transcended the regular season.ddddddddddddAt the exact point in the year when you thought wed fall apart, we actually became a team, general manager Chuck Fletcher said last year after re-signing Yeo. And theres a lot of work that went into that, and again Mike and his staff deserve a lot of that.The most glaring issue for the Wild is in goal, with a .892 save percentage that ranks second-worst in the league. Darcy Kuemper has been pulled from several starts, and Niklas Backstrom has not been sharp enough to unseat him as the regular starter. Josh Harding would have been part of the plan, but he broke his foot right before training camp and more recently developed complications anew from multiple sclerosis.The Wild are fourth in the NHL in both shots for and shots against, an indication that Yeos system has still been effective. But top off-season acquisition Thomas Vanek has been passive with the puck, with only seven goals so far, and the power play is the sixth-worst in the league.Im confident in what were capable of, but we have to better. So Im not going to just sit around and hope that things are going to be better, Yeo said. We have to find a way to be better. We have to find a way to bring more to the rink every day.Yeo erupted during a lethargic practice last week, resulting in dozens of expletives and a snapped stick before he skated off early. Players said afterward they deserved it, but theyve lost all three games since then. At some point, the message might be irretrievably lost.Theres really not much more of a message than start winning, Parise said. ' ' '