Muguruza crushes Stosur’s Australian dream with first-round defeat

French Open winner Garbine Muguruza led four seeds into the second round of the Brisbane International on Monday, with Spain’s Grand Slam winner eliminating Samantha Stosur in a heartbreaking 7-5, 6-7 (2-7), 7-5 loss for the local. Queenslander Stosur, who has a history of poor showings at home, was unable to close out a win after leading by a break in the final set against the fourth seed.

The 2011 US Open champion Stosur drove a simple forehand into the bottom of the net to end her agony after almost three hours.

“The last time we played was the French Open semifinals,” Muguruza said. “This was a very very tough match, we played for almost three hours.

“When I saw I was playing Stosur in the first round, I said, ‘Well, I have a tough match here,’” Muguruza said. “She played very well today; she served like a beast! I was not always at the maximum level, and I gave everything I had.”

Stosur has won appearances.

Fifth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova followed the formbook as the veteran won her opener over Louisa Chirico 6-2, 6-4; Ukrainian sixth seed Elina Svitolina beat Olympic champion Monica Puig 6-3, 6-3; and Italian eighth seed Roberta Vinci accounted for Kateryna Bondarenko 7-6 (74), 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-5).

American Asia Muhammad beat Croatian wild card Donna Vekic 7-6 (7-5), 6-1; and Australian Ashleigh Barty, playing professional cricket a year ago after giving up on a tennis career, is now back on court, advancing over Aleksandra Krunic 6-2, 6-2.

On the men’s side of the draw, there was disappointment for 2016 semi-finalist Bernard Tomic as the Australian lost to Spanish eighthseed David Ferrer 6-3, 7-5. just four Brisbane matches in six