Venus ousted early at Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia —

In her first match at the Australian Open since a Williams sister was guaranteed to win the title, Venus Williams lost in the first round to Belinda Bencic and ensured it cannot happen in 2018.

Venus lost last year’s final at Melbourne Park to younger sibling Serena, who clinched an Open era-record 23rd major but hasn’t played a Grand Slam tournament since because of her pregnancy and the birth of her first child.

The 6-3, 7-5 loss for Venus Williams was her first in five meetings with Bencic, who lost to Serena Williams in the first round here last year.

Itwasableakopeningday for American women, with

U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens, No. 10-seeded Coco Vandeweghe, a semifinalist here and at the U.S. Open last year, and Cici Bellis, the WTA’S newcomer of the year, going out in the first round.

The U.S. women were 0-for-7 in first-round singles by mid-afternoon.

U.S. Open finalist and No. 11-seeded Kevin Anderson was the highest-ranked man eliminated at that point, losing in five sets to Kyle Edmund — the lone Britishmaninthedrawafter five-time finalist Andy Murray withdrew. No. 16 John Isner lost in four sets to Australian Matt Edben. Williams’ exit followed No. 13-seeded Stephens’ 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2 loss to Zhang Shuai.

French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko made a positive start with a 6-1, 6-4 win over 37-yearold Francesca Schiavone, the 2010 French Open winner.

Vandeweghe was leading in her first set before a rain delay on Hisense Arena, and Timea Babos rallied to win 7-6 (4), 6-2.

Of the other U.S. women out in the first round, Sofia Kenin lost to No. 12 Julia Goerges (who extended her winning streak to 15 matches), Bellis lost to No. 30 Kiki Bertens, Alison Riske lost in three sets to Kirsten Flipkens, and Taylor Townsend lost in straight sets to No. 19 Magdalena Rybarikova.