'It's a joke': Male tennis star in fiery clash with Serena Williams

A men's favourite at the French Open has been left raging after a bizarre press conference moment involving Serena Williams.

The American suffered her earliest Grand Slam exit since 2014 when she crashed out of the French Open, ending her bid to win a record-equalling 24th major, just hours after world number one Naomi Osaka also suffered a shock defeat.

Williams was beaten 6-2, 7-5 by US compatriot Sofia Kenin, who wasn't even born when the American legend made her Paris debut in 1998, in the third round.

Top seed Osaka's hopes of winning a third successive Grand Slam ended when she was knocked out by unheralded Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic, 6-4, 6-2.

Their losses mean that 14 of the top 20 seeds in the women's draw have failed to make the second week in Paris.

Williams was in a bullish mood after her third round defeat at Roland-Garros, seemingly wanting to get her obligatory post-match press conference out of the way as quickly as possible.

However, Williams' haste came at the expense of men's star Dominic Thiem.

The Austrian was in the middle of his own press conference when he was told he had to wrap it up so Williams could hold hers.

It did not go down well with the men's fourth seed, who refused to answer more questions in protest.

“I don’t really get it, seriously. I mean, what the hell? No, but it’s a joke, really...I have to leave the room because she’s coming?” Thiem said.

“I leave also then. I’m not standing around. I can also do what I want.”

Thiem had just sealed his place in the next round courtesy of a 6-3 4-6 6-2 7-5 win over Pablo Cuevas.

For Williams, however, it was the 37-year-old's earliest exit at the Slams since a third round loss to Alize Cornet at Wimbledon in 2014.

The three-time Roland Garros champion was attempting to equal Margaret Court's record of 24 majors.

Williams falls short of expectations

"She played really well, especially in the first set where she hit pretty much within an inch of the line all the time," said Williams.

The America veteran, who played just one clay court match in Rome before suffering a knee injury in the run up to the French Open, said she had expected to progress further in Paris.

"I would have expected to have gotten past the the third round. If someone said I would only get this far, I'd have said they were a liar.

"I haven't been on the court as much as I would have wanted to. It's been a gruelling season."

Kenin, the 20-year-old world number 35, will now face eighth seed Ash Barty for a place in the quarter-finals.

The Aussie booked her spot in the next round with a dominant straight sets win over Germany's Andrea Petkovic.

Williams, who has still to add to her majors collection since she returned to the tour after giving birth to her daughter, fired 30 winners and 34 unforced errors.

Osaka, the reigning US and Australian Open champion, said losing to 42nd-ranked Siniakova may have been a blessing in disguise.

"Losing is probably the best thing that could have happened," said 21-year-old Osaka.

"I felt very tired. I had headaches, maybe that's the stress.

"I felt there was a weight on me. This hasn't been the happiest of times."

Osaka was undone by a shocking 38 unforced errors as she finally ran out of luck in Paris having had to come back from a set down in her first two matches.

With agencies