Sixth-seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic and Australian Samantha Stosur both lost first-round matches on Sunday at the season-opening Brisbane International tennis event.
Jankovic, a former World No. 1, was beaten 7-6 (8-6), 6-0 by Croatian wild card Ajla Tomljanovic, while Stosur, the 2011 U.S. Open champion, fell 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 to American Varvara Lepchenko on the hardcourts at Queensland Tennis Centre.
Fifth-seeded German Andrea Petkovic, the 2011 Brisbane finalist, also had an early exit, losing 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 to 2012 champion Kaia Kanepi of Estonia.
In other first-round action, seventh-seeded Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro rallied to beat Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 and Ukraine's Elina Svitolina cruised past Slovakian Magdalena Rybarikova 6-0, 6-2.
Reigning two-time champ Serena Williams beat former titlist Victoria Azarenka in last year's marquee Brisbane finale.
Brisbane serves as a tune-up for the Australian Open, which will begin January 19 in Melbourne.
[SportsNetwork.com]
