Former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki has been knocked out of the Australian Open following a 1-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 loss to Yulia Putintseva.
Wozniacki, who was seeded 16th in the tournament, started the match strong after racing to the first set after only 32 minutes. The Dane also had a lead in the second set when she broke her Kazak rival at the start. The lead was then evaporated as Putintseva clawed her way back to level. Following another exchange of breaks during the second set, a tiebreaker loomed.
The tiebreaker was a disappointing experience for Wozniacki after she dropped her serve twice (at the start and at the end) to allow Putintseva take the tiebreaker 7-3.
Putintseva continued her momentum into the roller coaster third set. After opening up a 2-0 lead, Wozniacki broke back during a marathon game when she converted her fifth break point. The Dane received an injury time-out during the early stage of the final set to have taping on her right foot. As the proceedings went towards the climax, another poor Wozniacki service game proved terminal to her chances as Putintseva broke for a chance to serve for the match. Surging to 40-15, Putintseva failed to convert her first match point following an unforced error from her. It was then second time lucky for the Kazakh after a long rally ended with Wozniacki returning the ball into the net.
Less than half of this point can only be uploaded. lil Poots takes out Wozniacki in a wild 1st round match #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/JZhhymANyi
— Nick Leone (@NickyLeonski) January 18, 2016
During the marathon encounter, which lasted three hours and 15 minutes, Putintseva’s winners-unforced errors ratio was 42-33 compared to Wozniacki’s 33-36. The 21-year-old also converted 4/10 break points. During her on-court interview, Putinseva was shocked with her win.
“I can’t believe I won the match,” said 21-year-old Putintseva,
“I was very nervous in the first set because I am not used to playing on such a big court. But then I got a bit more used to it.”
The loss is the first time that Wozniacki has lost in the first round at Melbourne in her career. The last time the world No.18 lost in the first round at a Grand Slam was last year at the French Open.
Wozniacki is one of a series of seeded players to suffer a shock loss on the first day of competition at the Australian Open. 17th seed Sara Errani also looked convincing early before before succumbing 1-6, 7-5, 6-1, to Russia’s Margarita Gasparyan.
24th seed Sloane Stephens was stunned in straight sets by Chinese qualifier Wang Qiang. The American enjoyed good preparation going into the tournament after recently clinching her second WTA title at the ASB Classic in Melbourne. Despite the odds being against the world No.101, the Chinese player broke Stephens four consecutive times to seal the win 6-3, 6-3.
Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova was another seeded player who started the match impressive before becoming undone. Facing America’s Lauren Davis, the 26th seed lost 1-6, 6-3, 6-4. Finally, 27th seed Anna Karolína Schmiedlová lost in straight sets (6-3, 6-3) to Daria Kasatkina.
