( CNN ) -- Serena Williams continued her miserable run at grand slam tournaments in 2014 crashing to defeat against France 's Alize Cornet in the third round at Wimbledon on Saturday . The five-time champion , who lost in the second round at Roland Garros last month and in the fourth round at the Australian Open in January , looked to be on course for another routine win after taking the opening set 6-1 in a rain-interrupted match . But Cornet , who beat Williams earlier this year in Dubai , came storming back into the match taking the second set 6-3 . With the initiative seized , Cornet drove home advantage opening up a 5-2 lead in the deciding set before Williams mounted a mini-revival to move within one game of her opponent at 5-4 . But Cornet held her nerve in the tenth game serving out to love to seal victory against the world No . 1 in just over two hours . `` To beat Serena at Wimbledon , wow , it is just a dream , '' 24-year-old Cornet said . `` It is the biggest upset in the tournament because she is the world number one and has won here so many times . `` I thought it was going to be tough when I lost the first set but finally I did it . I ca n't believe that I did it myself . It is a great moment . I 've been working so hard and this is the reward . '' The 25th seed will now meet Eugenie Bouchard in the fourth round following the Canadian 's straight set 6-3 6-4 win over Germany 's Andrea Petkovic . Williams was left to ponder her earliest singles exit at Wimbledon since 2005 when compatriot Jill Craybas beat her at the same stage , but found time to praise her opponent . `` You know , she was going for her shots . She just played really well today , '' Williams said . `` I thought I was playing well . I worked really hard coming into this event . It 's ok , though . Sometimes it happens . You work hard , but maybe it 's not for today , maybe it 's for tomorrow . `` But , yeah , so I 've just got to keep going . '' Williams quest for an 18th grand slam singles title will resume at Flushing Meadows in August . Only an handful of matches were completed on Saturday as rain swept across the grounds at SW19 . Maria Sharapova dropped just three games against Alison Riske of the U.S. winning out 6-3 6-0 under the roof on Centre Court . The reigning French Open champion will now face ninth seed Angelique Kerber in the fourth round following the German 's 3-6 6-3 6-2 victory over Belgium 's Kirsten Flipkens . Simona Halep is also safely through to the second week after beating Switzerland 's Belinda Bencic 6-4 6-1 . The Romanian third seed , who was runner-up to Sharapova at Roland Garros , will play Zarina Diyas from Kazakhstan . Last year 's beaten finalist , Sabine Lisicki was tied at one game all in the second set , after taking the opening set 6-4 against Serbia 's Ana Ivanovic when play was stopped . The pair with resume their match on Monday . In the men 's draw both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are safely through to the second week . Seven-time champion Federer was a straight sets ( 6-3 6-1 6-3 ) winner over Colombia 's Santiago Giraldo . Tommy Robredo awaits Federer in the next round after the Spaniard , seeded 23 , beat Jerzy Janowicz in five sets 6-2 6-4 6-7 ( 7/5 ) 4-6 6-3 . Compatriot Nadal dropped the opening set for the third straight match before steamrollering Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan 6-7 ( 7/4 ) 6-1 6-1 6-1 . The world No . 1 will face Nick Kyrgios in round four after the Australian beat Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic 3-6 6-3 7-5 6-2 .
Serena Williams loses in three sets to France 's Alize Cornet . Defeat is American 's worst result at Wimbledon for nine years . In men 's draw , Nadal and Federer safely through to fourth round .