Former French Open champion Barbora Krejkova and fifth seed Beatriz Haddad Maia were knocked out on Monday’s first day of the ATP-WTA Adelaide International after losing to qualifiers.
Czech fourth seed Krejcikova lost 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 to Anna Kalinskaya, while Brazil’s Haddad Maia lost 6-3, 6-4 to another Russian, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
“It was a perfect match, she’s a very good fighter,” the 75th-ranked Kalinskaia said of Krajkova, who was playing in her first season match ahead of the Australian Open.
“It made the match very complicated. I’m happy I won, I’m playing better tennis every day.”
Kalinskaya, who took almost three hours to beat her opponent, will face the winner between American Claire Liu and Russian world number 15 Daria Kasatkina.
59th-ranked Pavlyuchenkova, who was beaten by Kryjkikova in the 2021 French Open final, advanced to 29 winners, breaking Haddad Maia three times.
“I tried to follow my game plan,” Pavlyuchenkova said.
She will next play either big-serving Karolina Pliskova or 49th-ranked Katerina Siniakova.
Top seed Elina Rybakina, who defeated reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka at the Brisbane International on Sunday, faces a first-round bye.
She will face Cristina Bocasa in the round of 16 after the Spaniard defeated Italian Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-3.
