ROME: Former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki is still without a win in a major clay-court tournament this season as the French Open approaches after losing a marathon match to Bojana Jovanovski 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) at the ATP/WTA Rome Masters yesterday.
The 10th-seeded Wozniacki labored for almost three hours in a struggle, which ended in front of a standing-room only crowd as she lost to her 48th-ranked opponent in their first-round match.
With her victory, the 21-year-old from Belgrade ended a poor run of form and claimed her first win since mid-January at the Australian Open.
Russian Maria Kirilenko restored order for the seeds at the Foro Italico as the No. 12 beat Spain’s Anabel Madinah Garrigues 6-3, 6-3. Meanwhile, German Julia Goerges advanced over Czech Andrea Hlavackova despite losing the opening set and Varvara Lepchenko of the US defeated Lesya Tsurenko 6-4, 6-2.
Also, eighth-seeded Petra Kvitova overcame a second-set lapse to beat Sabine Lisicki of Germany 6-4, 0-6, 7-5 and reach the third round.
Also in the first round, 12th-seeded Maria Kirilenko of Russia eliminated Spanish qualifier Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-3, 6-3 and will next face 31st-ranked Varvara Lepchenko of the United States, who defeated Ukrainian qualifier Lesia Tsurenko 6-4, 6-2.
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic quickly overcame an early break to beat Spanish qualifier Albert Montanes 6-2, 6-3.
In the first round, Julien Benneteau of France eliminated 12th-seeded Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (2), 6-4; and Mikhail Youzhny beat 13th-seeded Tommy Haas 6-4, 6-3 in a matchup of tour veterans.
Also, former top-10 player Fernando Verdasco of Spain defeated Horacio Zeballos of Argentina 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
Wozniacki’s woes continue in Rome
