The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Radwanska ends Konta title defence at first hurdle
Johanna Konta saw her Sydney International title defence swiftly ended as she lost to Agnieszka Radwanska in the first round yesterday.
A surprising slide in the rankings to 28th meant former world No 2 Radwanska entered this week as an unseeded player, but she showed her quality in a 6-3 7-5 victory over British hope Konta.
In a repeat of last year’s final match-up, this time fourth seed Konta could not take control of the contest against Poland’s former Wimbledon runner-up.
Consolation for Konta came with the fact she completed the match without obvious physical problems, five days after being forced to retire from her Brisbane International quarter-final with Elina Svitolina due to injury.
She now heads for Melbourne and the Australian Open, where 12 months ago she reached the quarter-finals, while Radwanska continues her grand slam preparation in Sydney and faces American teenager CiCi Bellis next.
Radwanska said of her win, according to wtatennis.com: “It was a top-10 level match with some ups and downs, breaks along the way.
“The conditions weren’t easy, but I’m happy to win in two sets.”
American Venus Williams was the casualty of a heavyweight second-round clash with Germany’s former world No 1 Angelique Kerber, starting well but running out of steam in losing 5-7 6-3 6-1 shortly before midnight.
Rain had held up play earlier, after wins for Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova, Czech Barbora Strycova and Australian Samantha Stosur.
Ashleigh Barty overcame Ellen Perez 7-6 (7/4) 6-1 in an all-Australian battle after the rain passed over, and in another Daria Gavrilova edged out Olivia Rogowska 6-4 1-6 7-5.
Two seeds slumped to firstround defeats at the Hobart International.
Romanian Monica Niculescu ousted her sixth-seeded compatriot Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3 6-2, and Czech eighth seed Katerina Siniakova fell 2-6 6-3 7-5 to American Alison Riske.