Hot News About Tennis: Sharapova stunned in Aussie opener

Monday, January 18, 2010

Sharapova stunned in Aussie opener

MELBOURNE, Australia - With one former women's No. 1 making an early exit and the current one not playing until Tuesday, it was just as well that Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin came back to give the Australian Open some first-day luster on a rainy, dreary day at Melbourne Park.

Former top-ranked Maria Sharapova was a surprise 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-4 loser Monday to fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko. It was Sharapova's earliest exit from a Grand Slam since the 2003 French Open, and comes after she lost in the second round at last year's U.S. Open.

U.S. Open champion Clijsters, also a former No. 1 and making a return to the Australian Open in her sixth tournament back from retirement, easily won her first-round match 6-0, 6-4 over Canadian qualifier Valerie Tetreault.

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Later Monday, another former No. 1 also on the comeback trail, seven-time Grand Slam singles winner Justine Henin, advanced with a 6-4, 6-3 win over fellow Belgian Kirsten Flipkens. Henin lost to Clijsters in the Brisbane International final 10 days ago in her return to the tour.

Steady rain first delayed the start of play on outside courts, then forced several suspensions and more than a dozen postponements. Officials finally called off play at 10 p.m. on outside courts when the rain returned, forcing the matches to be concluded Tuesday.

Clijsters, who won the U.S. Open in September in only her third tournament back from time off to get married and have a baby, still feels the nerves that come with playing in a Grand Slam.

"I have the experience from the past, but I haven't been here for so long," Clijsters said. "So I think that's why it all feels new again. So, yeah, the butterflies are there ..."

There were no nerves - "just a bad day" - for Sharapova, who was making her first appearance on Rod Laver Arena since winning the 2008 trophy. She missed the Australian Open last year as part of a 10-month layoff due to shoulder surgery, but said her shoulder did not bother her Monday.

"I could be disappointed or I could just take it as it is and just go back on the court and just keep working," Sharapova said. "I choose option two. A bad day's not going to stop me from doing what I love. I'll be back here on a Saturday of the second week, so you watch."

Sharapova rallied from 5-2 down in the deciding set, holding serve and then breaking Kirilenko to stay in the match. She dropped her own serve after giving Kirilenko double match point.

Sharapova stunned in Aussie opener