Sharapova suffers first-round exit thanks to Vekic

MELBOURNE, Australia — Maria Sharapova hasn’t won a tournament since 2017, and her ranking slipped to 136th by the end of last year.

After a 6-3, 6-4 loss to 19th-seeded Donna Vekic at the Australian Open today, former No. 1-ranked Sharapova is on a run of three firstround exits at Grand Slam events.

The five-time major winner got into the main draw at Melbourne Park via a wild card granted by organizers, helped by the fact she won the 2008 title here. Drawing Vekic in the first round was tough.

The 32-year-old Russian has had a series of right shoulder injuries and also served a 15-month suspension for a positive doping test to meldonium. Since her return

from the suspension, her best showing at a major has been the quarterfinals at the 2018 French Open.

She wasn’t making any excuses.

“I mean, I think I’m not the only one — I can speak about my struggles and the things that I’ve gone through with my shoulder, but it’s not really in my character to,” Sharapova said.

She reached the fourth round in Australia last year, and her profile means she still gets a spot on center court. It was only Vekic’s second time on Rod Laver Arena.

“Ï always enjoy the big stages,”” Vekic said. “I’m happy to leave with a win this time.”

Johanna Konta, a 2016 Australian Open semifinalist, lost her first-round match to Ons Jabeur 6-4, 6-2. It was only her second match since she lost in the quarterfinals of last year’s U.S. Open because of a tendinitis-related problem in her right knee.

The 12th-seeded Konta lost in the first round at the Brisbane International and then withdrew from the Adelaide International in an attempt to manage her injury. Even before she left for Australia, the British No. 1 told officials she wouldn’t play Fed Cup this year.

Konta had always made at least the second round in four previous appearances in the main draw here. Still, she was upbeat after the loss.

“I think ultimately the main thing was to start playing again, and I am,” she said. “And how I physically felt out there is obviously a massive tick for me compared to where I was in September of last year. Before Brisbane, I had been out for almost 4-1/2 months. So it’s been quite a bit of time, not far off getting a protected ranking.”

Jabeur said her goal this year is to make it into the top 20 — she’s currently 78th — and to inspire other African Arab players to pick up the sport.

“It would be nice to see more of us out here on tour,” Jabeur said.

After torrential rain hit Melbourne Park on Day 1, organizers had to move dozens of matches over to today.

Second-seeded Karolina Pliskova beat Kristina Mladenovic 6-1, 7-5 and sixth-seeded Belinda Bencic advanced 6-3, 7-5 over Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.