(January 7, 2013) Australian Sam Stosur came up short against China’s Zheng Jie in a tough three set battle 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-4.
“I feel a lot better after this loss than last week’s loss because I felt like I did some better things,” said Stosur, who suffered her second first-round exit in as many weeks.
“Overall I think everything was a lot better. She came up with some very good points when things could have kind of gone away from her in that third.”
Zheng reeled off four straight games in the third set to gain a 5-3 lead. Stosur broke to stay in it, but couldn’t stave off a third match point with a backhand into the net. Zheng will take on American qualifier Madison Keys in the second round.
Fourth seed Li Na continued her impressive beginning to 2013 with a 7-6 (2), 7-5 over American Christina McHale in hot conditions.
“I play her last time it was in French and also was very tough match,” said Li who arrived in Sydney having won the inaugural event in Shenzhen over the weekend.
“I think today it’s challenging for the both players on the court. The heat, you know, so both was play already two hours on the court; still fighting in the end. But I was happy finally I can win the last point.”
Sydney Results for January 7, 2013
Singles – First Round
[5] F Mayer (GER) d [Q] J Sousa (POR) 61 62
[8] M Granollers (ESP) d [WC] M Ebden (AUS) 57 75 61
J Benneteau (FRA) d P Andujar (ESP) 63 57 62
D Istomin (UZB) d [WC] J Duckworth (AUS) 67(4) 64 76(3)
Doubles – First Round
J Chardy (FRA) / L Kubot (POL) d [WC] J Duckworth (AUS) / C Guccione (AUS) 64 75
SCHEDULE – TUESDAY, 8 JANUARY, 2013
KEN ROSEWALL ARENA start 11:00 am
[1] A Radwanska (POL) vs [Q] K Date-Krumm (JPN) – WTA
[4] N Li (CHN) vs [Q] A Morita (JPN) – WTA
Not Before 2:00 PM
[Q] M Keys (USA) vs J Zheng (CHN) or [6] S Stosur (AUS) – WTA
Not Before 6:00 PM
B Tomic (AUS) vs M Matosevic (AUS) – ATP
GRANDSTAND start 11:00 am
M Kirilenko (RUS) vs [3] S Errani (ITA) – WTA
[PR] T Robredo (ESP) vs [WC] J Millman (AUS) – ATP
[7] C Wozniacki (DEN) vs [Q] S Kuznetsova (RUS) – WTA
G Dimitrov (BUL) vs F Fognini (ITA) – ATP
COURT 4 start 11:00 am
D Marrero (ESP) / F Verdasco (ESP) vs A Qureshi (PAK) / J Rojer (NED) – ATP
J Nieminen (FIN) vs [Q] B Phau (GER) – ATP
After suitable rest
[3] M Kirilenko (RUS) / L Raymond (USA) vs D Jurak (CRO) / K Marosi (HUN) – WTA
N Llagostera Vives (ESP) / J Zheng (CHN) vs A Groenefeld (GER) / K Peschke (CZE) – WTA
COURT 5 start 11:00 am
[Q] G Garcia-Lopez (ESP) vs [6] R Stepanek (CZE) – ATP
D Cibulkova (SVK) vs E Makarova (RUS) – WTA
A Bedene (SLO) vs K Anderson (RSA) – ATP
Not Before 4:00 PM
[1] B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) vs J Cabal (COL) / M Matkowski (POL) – ATP
COURT 6 start 11:00 am
F Lopez (ESP) vs [7] J Chardy (FRA) – ATP
J Jankovic (SRB) vs R Vinci (ITA) – WTA
[Q] G Voskoboeva (KAZ) vs [2] A Kerber (GER) – WTA
Not Before 5:00 PM
R Bautista Agut (ESP) vs [Q] R Harrison (USA) – ATP
COURT 8 start 11:00 am
C Kas (GER) / A Seppi (ITA) vs [4] M Mirnyi (BLR) / H Tecau (ROU) – ATP
[3] M Granollers (ESP) / M Lopez (ESP) vs R Bopanna (IND) / M Melo (BRA) – ATP
E Roger-Vasselin (FRA) / G Simon (FRA) vs [2] L Paes (IND) / R Stepanek (CZE) – ATP
J Benneteau (FRA) / M Llodra (FRA) vs R Lindstedt (SWE) / N Zimonjic (SRB) – ATP
