2015 Wuhan Open: Sam Stosur loses in the first round

Sam Stosur was among the casualties in the first round of action at the 2015 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open. Stosur lost to Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in straight sets 6-2 6-1 on Sunday.

Playing in her second hardcourt tournament after losing in the fourth round of the 2015 U.S. Open, Australia’s top-ranked female athlete Stosur failed to come through Lucic-Baroni's test. The Croatian played a brilliant match as she defeated Stosur in one of the opening round matches of the 2015 Wuhan Open, which is one of the five premier events in Women’s Tennis Association tour.

Stosur couldn’t keep up with Mirjana’s return winners and groundstrokes all throughout the match. Lucic-Baroni, ranked 85th, capitalised on Stosur's breakpoint opportunities. She converted all four breakpoints to upset and dismiss Stosur, who is ranked 21st, in just less than an hour.

The recently concluded match is the third time this season and in Stosur's and Lucic-Baronic's careers that they both played on tour. Stosur now trails behind the Croatian in their head-to-head series, 1-2.

In other matches, Russian-born Daria Gavrilova moved on to the second round after beating Teliana Pereira in straight sets 6-2 7-6(7). Former World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka also advanced with straight sets victory over American Lauren Davis 6-2 7-6(4).

Women’s Singles First Round Results

Monica Niculescu def. Liu Fangzhou 6-1 6-1

Victoria Azarenka def Lauren Davis 6-2 7-6(4)

Julia Goerges def. Alize Cornet 6-3 6-3

CoCo Vandeweghe def. Lesia Tsurenko 6-2 2-6 6-3

Elina Svitolina def. Daniela Hantuchova 6-4 6-4

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova def. Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-0 6-1

Daria Gavrilova def. Teliana Pereira 6-2 7-6(7)

Barbora Strycova def. Timea Babos 7-6(9) 6-2

Johanna Konta def. 13-Andrea Petkovic 6-4 7-5

Varvara Lepchenko def. Zheng Saisai 6-4 6-0

Mirjana Lucic-Baroni def. Samantha Stosur 6-2 6-1