Simona Halep, ranked fourth at Melbourne Park, became the first seed to be bundled out of the season-opening grand slam, falling to the power-hitting American in 75 minutes.
Defending champion and top seed Angelique Kerber battled her nerves and faltered badly with victory in sight before finally overcoming Lesia Tsurenko 6-2 5-7 6-2 to reach the second round of the Australian Open while Simona Halep was the first seed to fall on Monday.
Kerber was starting the defence of a grand slam title for the first time and initially struggled with her serve and the accuracy of her groundstrokes on Rod Laver Arena. Once she found her range, however, Kerber proved more than a match for world number 51 Tsurenko, who was reduced to scrapping to save her serve and the odd pearl of a consolation point off her rasping backhand.
The German's nerves returned when Kerber was serving for the match, however, and the world number one started ballooning shots all over the place, allowing her Ukrainian opponent to break back for 5-5. Tsurenko grasped her opportunity with both hands and broke the Australian and U.S. Open champion again after a marathon nine-minute game to send the match into a decider.
The third set developed into a battle of wills but Kerber grabbed the key break for a 4-2 lead before rattling off the next two games to set up a second round tie against compatriot Carina Witthoeft.
Halep fell at the first hurdle for a second straight year on Monday after the Romanian, hampered by a nagging knee problem, lost 6-3 6-1 to American Shelby Rogers. Halep, ranked fourth at Melbourne Park, became the first seed to be bundled out of the season-opening grand slam, falling to the power-hitting American in 75 minutes.
She sought medical advice after the first set and was seen flexing her left knee throughout the second. "I had pain at my knee," Halep told reporters. "For me, in the second set, was difficult to move anymore, but she deserved to win. She was aggressive, and she hit very strong."
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 "Angelique Kerber and Simona Halep")
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