New Zealand tennis number one Marina Erakovic has lost her opening singles match at the Australian Open in straight sets to Venezuelan world number 22 Garbine Muguruza in Melbourne.
New Zealand No.1 Marina Erakovic Photo: Photosport
Erakovic started well, breaking in the fourth game, but the Aucklander handed the break back in the seventh game as Muguruza stepped up the power, putting it back on serve with a forehand winner.
Erakovic then surrendered her serve again in the 11th game to two backhand winners, Muguruza serving out the first set 7-5.
And there was no stopping the Venezuelan from there, she broke Erakovic's serve in the first, third and fifth games, cruising to the set 6-0 and an easy victory.
Elsewhere in the singles on day two, defending men's champion Stan Wawrinka cruised through, as did four-time champion Novak Djokovic.
There were straight sets wins too for Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori, eighth seed Caroline Wozniacki, and unseeded Belarussian two-time former champion Victoria Azarenka, while Samantha Stosur also continued the Australians' golden start.
