Shock loss for Sam Stosur in Wimbledon first round
Beaten French Open finalist Sam Stosur has followed Roland Garros champion Francesca Schiavone out of Wimbledon in the first round.
The sixth seed, whose record at the All England Club hardly inspires confidence, was defeated in straight sets by 80th ranked Kaia Kanepi out on day two of the tournament.
While Stosur’s vicious kick serve and top spin forehand have proved potent weapons on clay, the Australian entered Wimbledon this year having never progressed beyond the third round in seven previous attempts, though before today she’d not been beaten in the first round since 2005.
A semi-final showing at the Aegon International at Eastbourne, however, must have inspired some confidence that the lawns at the All England Club might prove a happier hunting ground for Stosur in 2010.
It was not to be as instead Kanepi, who in four prior attempts in SW19 had only once won her first round match, who prevailed, the Estonian staving off a double break point as she served for the match at 5-4 in the second set to claim a shock 6-4, 6-4 victory over the world No. 6.
“I didn't play as well as I know that I can today. But I thought she played well. She served very well,” Stosur said after the match. “I didn't serve as well as her. I think that kind of hurt me.”
“I'm no doubt disappointed...I wanted to do a lot better here than what I had in previous years. I didn't. So, yeah, it's unfortunate. But I'll come back next year and try even harder,” Stosur said.
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