ROME, May 16 (UPI) -- Amelie Mauresmo, continuing to struggle after undergoing surgery, Wednesday suffered an early exit from the Italian Masters tennis tournament in Rome.
The top-seeded Mauresmo was defeated in the second round by Samantha Stosur, 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (9-7). Stosur produced 10 aces in a match that needed two hours, 47 minutes to complete. Mauresmo was unable to convert on two match points.
After returning from an appendectomy that sidelined her for a month, Mauresmo lost in the third round last week in Berlin. She finished first or second in this tournament five times in a six-year span beginning in 2000.
Among those advancing into the third round were second-seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, No. 3 Jelena Jankovic and No. 5 Nadia Petrova.
Kuznetsova, who lost in the finals last week in Berlin, was a 6-3, 6-3 winner over Mara Santangelo.
