Aegon Classic: Simona Halep shocked by Kristina Mladenovic

Kristina Mladenovic beat last year's Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard in the first round in Birmingham

Top seed Simona Halep is out of the Aegon Classic in Birmingham after losing 2-6 6-0 7-6 (7-4) to Kristina Mladenovic in the quarter-finals.

The Romanian, bidding for a fourth singles title of the year, was overpowered by the world number 43.

Halep, 23, reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon last year, while France's Mladenovic has never been past the first round in three appearances.

Fourth seed Angelique Kerber is now the top-seeded player left in the draw.

The German beat Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic 6-2 6-4.

Mladenovic will face sixth seed Karolina Pliskova in the semi-finals after she followed up her win over Britain's Johanna Konta with an impressive 6-2 6-2 victory over third seed Carla Suarez Navarro.

Kerber will take on compatriot Sabine Lisicki, who beat Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova 7-6 (7-2) 6-2.