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BRISBANE, Jan 6: Novak Djokovic’s preparations for the defence of his Australian Open title suffered an unexpected setback on Tuesday when he was knocked out of the Brisbane International in the first round.
The 21-year-old world number three lost his debut match at the brand new Pat Rafter Arena to former training partner Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 6-4, 6-4.
Women’s second seed Victoria Azarenka survived a torrid workout from Slovakia’s Jarmila Gajdosova before winning 7-6, 7-5, while third seed Marion Bartoli of France defeated Hungary’s Melinda Czink 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.
Tuesday’s results (prefix number denotes seeding):
Men’s:
First round: Kei Nishikori (Japan) bt Bobby Reynolds (US) 6-3, 6-2; Mario Ancic (Croatia) bt Amer Delic (US) 7-6(2), 6-7(4), 7-6(6); Paul-Henri Mathieu (France) bt Teimuraz Gabashvili (Russia) 6-3, 6-3; Ernests Gulbis (Latvia) bt 1-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) 6-4, 6-4; Florent Serra (France) bt Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) 6-3, 7-6; 5-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) bt Brydan Klein (Australia) 6-0, 6-4.
Women’s:
Second round: Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) bt Samantha Stosur (Australia) 6-4, 6-4; 3-Marion Bartoli (France) bt Melinda Czink (Hungary) 5-7, 6-3, 6-1; 2-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) bt Jarmila Gajdosova (Slovakia) 7-6(4), 7-5; Tathiana Garbin (Italy) bt Alisa Kleybanova (Russia) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Monday’s results:
Men’s:
First round: 3-Fernando Verdasco (Spain) bt Bernard Tomic (Australia) 6-4, 6-2; Juergen Melzer (Austria) bt 6-Mardy Fish (US) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(4); 8-Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) bt Igor Kunitsyn (Russia) 6-2, 6-2; Jarkko Nieminen (Finland) bt Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus) 5-7, 6-1, 6-4.
Women’s:
First round: 1-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) bt Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) 6-4, 6-2; Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) bt Isabella Holland (Australia) 6-4 6-3; Melinda Czink (Hungary) bt Alona Bondarenko (Ukraine) 7-6(3), 6-1; Sara Errani (Italy) bt 4-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) 6-7(1), 6-4, 6-0; Tathiana Garbin (Italy) bt Sofia Arvidsson (Sweden) 6-2, 6-3; 5-Amelie Mauresmo (France) bt Jelena Dokic (Australia) 7-6(9), 7-6(5); Olga Govortsova (Belarus) bt 8-Francesca Schiavone (Italy) 7-5, 6-2; Roberta Vinci (Italy) bt Anna-Lena Groenefeld (Germany) 0-6, 6-3, 6-1; Sesil Karatantcheva (Bulgaria) bt Iveta Benesova (Czech Republic) 1-6, 6-4, 6-2; Julie Coin (France) bt Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium) 7-5, 6-7(5), 7-6(3); Samantha Stosur (Australia) bt 9-Ai Sugiyama (Japan) 6-2, 6-3.
DEMENTIEVA MOVES AHEAD
AUCKLAND: World number four Elena Dementieva had to battle back from a big first set deficit to avoid a shock opening round exit at the hands of Taiwan’s Yung-Jan Chan in the Auckland Classic women’s tournament here on Tuesday.
Tuesday’s results:
First round: 7-Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) bt Kristina Barrois (Germany) 6-3, 6-1; Anne Keothavong (Britain) bt Mirjana Lucic (Croatia) 6-4, 6-2; Marina Erakovic (New Zealand) bt Nuria Llagostera (Spain) 7-5, 6-4; Ayumi Morita (Japan) bt Marta Domachowska (Poland) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4; 1-Elena Dementieva (Russia) bt Chan Yung-jan (Taiwan) 7-5, 6-3; 2-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) bt Alberta Brianti (Italy) 6-1, 6-0; Elena Vesnina (Russia) bt Aiko Nakamura (Japan) 6-1, 6-0; 8-Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) bt Nathalie Dechy (France) 6-4, 6-0.
Monday’s results:
First round: 3-Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spain) bt Mara Santangelo (Italy) 7-5, 6-0; 4-Aleksandra Wozniak (Canada) bt Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia) 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-5; 5-Shahar Peer (Israel) bt Petra Cetkovska (Czech Republic) 7-6(4), 6-2; Edina Gallovits (Romania) bt Klara Zakopalova (Czech Republic) 3-6, 6-2, 7-5; Jill Craybas (US) bt Kimiko Date Krumm (Japan) 6-4, 6-3; 6-Nicole Vaidisova (Czech Republic) bt Alla Kudryavtseva (Russia) 7-6, 4-6, 7-5; Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (Czech Republic) bt Virginie Razzano (France) 1-6, 6-2, 6-3; Aravane Rezai (France) bt Eleni Daniilidou (Greece) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.—Agencies
