The 2009 Australian Open finalist, Dinara Safina, was eliminated from the Australian Open big time – in the first round, after just 44 minutes, without winning a single game and without earning a single break point. The conqueror on the other side of the net was another former world No.1 and third seed at the 2011 Australian Open, Kim Clijsters. It must be devastating for Safina, especially because this year she lost in the first round of all the three tournaments she played.
Safina, whose 2010 was one of the worst of her career, will have some thinking to do:
To lose two tournaments in a row 6-0 6-1 and 6-0 6-0 — it’s really to scratch the head and to think what the hell am I doing. I want to come back and I want to play better, but now to find answers how I can come back.
All the other seeds in action on Day 2 advanced, except for seed No.27 Alexandra Dulgheru and No.19 Ana Ivanovic who fought hard, saved five match points, but lost to Ekaterina Makarova 3-6 6-4 10-8. The world No.49 Makarova won her first WTA title last year in Eastbourne, as a qualifier and without dropping a set.
Serbia may have lost one of their big names in the women’s draw, but their new hope advanced to the second round — 58th-ranked Bojana Jovanovski beat Kai-Chen Chang 7-5 6-1 and will next play second seed Vera Zvonareva.
Besides a thrilling match, the encounter of Agnieszka Radwanska and the oldest player in the draw, Kimiko Date Krumm, featured this funny racquet breaking incident. The 12th-seeded Radwanska won the match 6-4 4-6 7-5 after receiving treatment for a back problem. Thanks DeShawn Besabella for sharing the video!
