Wozniacki joins casualty list
medibankinternational.com.au Monday 11 January 2010 1 Comment »
It was open season at the Medibank International Sydney on Monday as the lesser lights shot down the stars to gift Serena Williams a saloon passage through to Saturday’s final.
Williams will launch her 2010 campaign on Tuesday against Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez without a single seed remaining in the top half of the draw after Great Dane Caroline Wozniacki, former world No.1 Jelena Jankovic and injured Russian Vera Zvonareva all bombed out.
Australians Samantha Stosur and Casey Dellacqua also suffered Australian Open setbacks with disappointing straight-set first-round departures.
The fourth-ranked Wozniacki, who only arrived in Sydney on Sunday following a long-haul flight from Hong Kong, crumbled to a 2-6 6-3 6-2 loss to China’s Li Na.
Heartened by her tour-high 67 match wins and maiden grand slam final appearance at the US Open, Wozniacki remains upbeat about her Open prospects.
“It just didn’t go my way today. That’s the way it is sometimes. Next week is very important to me and hopefully I can do a great result there,” Wozniacki said.
“I’m just going to go to Melbourne and practice there and try to prepare as well as possible. I’ll just stay positive just go for it.
“I really feel positive about this year. Hopefully it’ll be a good year for me.
“I feel like I had a really great year last year. Hopefully this year I can continue rising in the rankings and keep improving.”
Jankovic, the Open’s top seed last year before ending the season ranked No.8, was similarly unconcerned about her 5-7 6-1 7-5 loss to Hungarian qualifier Agnes Szavay.
“It’s no problem. I have a week to train and to do some things,” the Serb said.
“Playing in these kind of conditions, it still gives me some experience. I will bring that to Melbourne.
“I feel good. I feel I’m ready to play. Unfortunately, today I just didn’t bring the tennis I wanted to bring out. Sometimes it happens.”
The eighth-seeded Zvonareva was locked up at 3-3 in the first set against fellow Russian Elena Vesnina when she was forced to retire with an ankle sprain.
Stosur will venture to Melbourne Park struggling for confidence after succumbing 6-3 6-1 to world No.12 Flavia Pennetta, the defeat her third from four matches this summer.
Dellacqua followed Stosur out the exit door with a 6-2 6-2 loss to Russian Vera Dushevina.
Tags: Caroline Wozniacki, Jelena Jankovic, Serena Williams, Vera Zvonareva
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