The Associated Press

PARIS - Venus Williams peered through the rain drops at the black scoreboard.

First came an unwanted reminder: She was losing her French Open quarterfinal. Then, like an airport's schedule board, the digits flipped, revealing more bad news: Her sister Serena, seeded second, was gone already, beaten 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 by Jennifer Capriati on center court.

Not much later, No. 4 Venus swatted a soggy, clay-caked ball wide for the last of 43 unforced errors, allowing Anastasia Myskina of Russia to wrap up a 6-3, 6-4 upset.

This anyone-can-beat-anyone French Open keeps producing surprises. Never before had the Williams sisters been eliminated in the same round at a tournament; it happened in a span of 28 minutes Tuesday.

"We're going to pack our bags and leave," said Venus. "There's nothing left for us here anymore."

Clearly, the injuries that forced the siblings off the tour for the last half of 2003 and parts of this year hampered them - in their preparation, in their performance and in another vital way.

They've let slip the intimidation factor they built by being ranked Nos. 1-2, meeting in Slam final after Slam final and divvying up eight of 11 major titles from Wimbledon in 2000 through the Australian Open in 2003.

But with each miscue (Serena had 45 unforced errors to Capriati's 24), the siblings' self-belief can wane.

And, noted Myskina: "Now, of course, everybody believes at least that they can fight with them."

Soon, though, Myskina sounded a word of caution, saying Venus and Serena will "be back. I mean, they were the best - they can be the best again."

In the meantime, the favorite's role is played by Capriati, the 2001 champion at Roland Garros.