The biggest Australian hope, US Open champion Samantha Stosur, crashed out of the Aussie Open already in the first round, and we didn’t wait for long for another Grand Slam champion to bow out, as Francesca Schiavone lost to fellow Italian Romina Oprandi the very next day, in the second round, though.
The tenth-seeded Schiavone hit an astonishing number of nine double faults, while Oprandi made none. In addition, Schiavone made 35 unforced errors to her opponent’s 16, and won only 28% on the second serve, while Oprandi was three times better in that department.
“I couldn’t play like I supposed and I was playing to play,” Schiavone said in a post-match conference.
The 80th-ranked Oprandi, who has reached her first third round at a Grand Slam, will play Julia Goerges next. (photo: © Neal Trousdale)
