Samantha Stosur was the first major victim at the Australian Open after the home hope was neglected out in straight sets by Sorana Cirstea. The US Open champion was her own worst enemy as she slumped to a 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 defeat against the Romanian. Stosur, the No.6 seed, was guilty of making 33 normal errors and was on the back foot for long periods. Stosur had been aiming to become Australia's first women's champion since Chris O'Neil beat Betsy Nagelsen in 1978.
The 27-year-old has never looked relaxed dealing with the prospect at Melbourne Park, failing to make in past the fourth round since her debut in 2002. Cirstea, who has never made it beyond the second round in Melbourne, took the first set on a tie-break and then broke Stosur to love in the opening game of the second. Stosur lastly began to find her range and a brilliantly powerful cross-court sweep set her up to break back, and despite a double fault, she held her serve in the next game to lead 2-1.
However, that was the last real occasion the vocal Australian crowd had reason to cheer. Rather than capitulating to her higher-ranked challenger, Cirstea dug deep and fought back with brilliant execution. The 21-year-old, who daunted with her looping forehands and work at the net, finally clinched her place in the second round with her fourth match point."Probably the whole of Australia hates me right now," Cirstea said.
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The 27-year-old has never looked relaxed dealing with the prospect at Melbourne Park, failing to make in past the fourth round since her debut in 2002. Cirstea, who has never made it beyond the second round in Melbourne, took the first set on a tie-break and then broke Stosur to love in the opening game of the second. Stosur lastly began to find her range and a brilliantly powerful cross-court sweep set her up to break back, and despite a double fault, she held her serve in the next game to lead 2-1.
However, that was the last real occasion the vocal Australian crowd had reason to cheer. Rather than capitulating to her higher-ranked challenger, Cirstea dug deep and fought back with brilliant execution. The 21-year-old, who daunted with her looping forehands and work at the net, finally clinched her place in the second round with her fourth match point."Probably the whole of Australia hates me right now," Cirstea said.
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