MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — Maria Sharapova was upset by Maria Kirilenko 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-4 in the first round of the Australian Open today, her worst performance at a Grand Slam event since 2003.
The 14th-seeded Sharapova was unable to defend her 2008 Australian Open championship while sidelined 10 months because of right shoulder surgery. She then failed to advance beyond the quarterfinals in the other three majors last year.
The loss to Kirilenko was her earliest exit at a major since her first-round loss at the 2003 French Open.
“Just didn’t win the match bottom line,” said Sharapova, summing up the match in a matter-of-fact manner. “Certainly had my chances and just didn’t execute.”
Kirilenko advanced to the second round with Dinara Safina, who had a 6-4, 6-4 win over Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia in the first match completed on a rainy day at Melbourne Park. The second-seeded Safina was the runner-up to Serena Williams last year.
Kim Clijsters played on Rod Laver Arena immediately after Sharapova’s loss and needed less than an hour to beat Valerie Tetreault of Canada 6-0, 6-4.
Clijsters won the U.S. Open in September in her third tournament back from time off after getting married and having a baby.
Andy Roddick sat through a needless rain suspension before beating Thiemo de Bakker of the Netherlands 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.
The match at Hisense Arena, the tournament’s second covered court, was suspended at 2-2 in second set so organizers could close the roof, which had been opened despite rain in the area.
Between rain delays on outside courts, No. 11-seeded Fernando Gonzalez of Chile beat Olivier Rochus of Belgium 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 and Florian Mayer had an impressive comeback to beat Philipp Petzschner 0-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 6-2.
No. 24 Ivan Ljubicic had a 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 win over 16-year-old wild-card entry Jason Kubler, the youngest player in the draw.
On the women’s side, No. 30 Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine had a 6-2, 7-6 (6) win over Romania’s Raluca Olaru, Zheng Jie rallied to beat Peng Shuai 0-6, 6-1, 6-2 in an all-China match, and Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova beat Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova 6-2, 6-4.
Sharapova kept going for winners despite twice being only two points away from losing the match. She ended up with 72 unforced errors and 11 double-faults.
The Marias, both Russian and both 22, clubbed 71 winners and made 110 unforced errors between them as they traded heavy ground strokes in a match that lasted 3 hours, 22 minutes and allowed the No. 58-ranked Kirilenko to even their four career head-to-head matches.
“I tried my best to win today. I came here quite confident,” Kirilenko said.
At a glance
Highlights from the opening of the Australian Open:
Stat of the day: $185,000 — money raised for Haiti earthquake victims on Sunday during a fundraiser organized by Roger Federer.
Quote of the day: “Did you really call a foot fault on me in a charity match? You realize Serena’s over there, right?” — Andy Roddick, reprimanding a line judge during the fundraiser for Haiti. Roddick mocked Williams’ infamous meltdown at the U.S. Open.
Today’s featured match: No. 2 Rafael Nadal vs. Peter Luczak.
TV today: 1 p.m. (taped), 7 p.m. and 1 a.m., ESPN2.
Staff and wire reports
