Melbourne: U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur crashed out in the first round of the Australian Open in straight sets on Tuesday in a major blow for local fans desperate to end a long drought at the national championship.
Sixth-seeded Stosur lost 7-6 (2), 6-3 to No. 59-ranked Sorana Cirstea of Romania to continue her terrible run at home since beating Serena Williams to capture her first Grand Slam title in New York last September.
Stosur has had one win in three tournaments on home soil in 2012.
After saving three match points, Stosur finally lost it when her looping forehand drifted over the baseline to hush the Rod Laver Arena crowd on the second day of the tournament.
No Australian has won the national title since Chris O'Neil in 1978.
Stosur's first-round loss mirrors that of Petra Kvitova, who went out in the first round of last year's U.S. Open after winning Wimbledon. After winning the French Open, Li Na lost in the second round at Wimbledon and the first round of the U.S. Open.
"We all saw what happened last year and now I've kind of gone through that same trend," Stosur said. "I don't know why it seems to be happening more often than not right now. I'm sure if we could all change the way we've responded straight after winning a Grand Slam, we would have."
Cirstea hadn't beaten Stosur in both their previous matches and is slightly concerned now about being public enemy No. 1, saying: "Probably the whole country hates me now."
Comments
0 comment