Sabalenka serve misfires again as top seed suffers shock loss to qualifier

World No 2 Aryna Sabalenka encountered more problems with her serve as she suffered a surprise defeat to a qualifier at the Adelaide International 2 tournament yesterday.

In a potential blow to her confidence ahead of the Australian Open, which begins next week, the Belarusian served 21 double faults as she went down 5-7, 6-1, 7-5 to world No 93 Rebecca Peterson in the first round.

Such were her problems, the top seed even served underarm at times in the second and third set.

It comes a week after Sabalenka had 18 double faults in her loss to Kaja

Juvan at the Adelaide International 1 event.

American third seed Coco Gauff was in good form as she ousted Czech player Katerina Siniakova 6-1, 6-2 while the fourth seed Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia came from behind to beat Britain's Heather Watson 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4).

Seventh seed Jil Teichmann lost 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 to

Lauren Davis of the United States while ninth seed Sorana Cirstea went out 6-3 6-2 to Anhelina Kalinina. Eighth seed Liudmila Samsonova saw off Mayar Sherif 7-6 (2), 6-4.

Olympic champion Belinda Bencic got off to a winning start at the Sydney Tennis Classic with a comfortable victory over qualifier Beatriz Haddad Maia.

The Swiss, unseeded in her first tournament of the year, needed just 69 minutes to see off the Brazilian 6-3, 6-2 and reach the second round.

Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic gave the home crowd something to cheer following the withdrawal of world No 1 Ashleigh Barty.

Tomljanovic set up a clash with fifth seed Paula Badosa as she overcame

Slovakian qualifier Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-2, 6-3.

World No 20 Elise Mertens also went through with a 6-2, 7-6 (5) win over Fiona Ferro but American Jessica Pegula, ranked 22, lost 6-4, 7-6 (3) to 75th-ranked Caroline Garcia.

Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova won 6-4, 6-4 against Ena Shibahara of Japan.