Brisbane, Australia (Sports Network) - German star Angelique Kerber and
French Open runner-up Sara Errani advanced, while Aussie favorite Sam Stosur
and former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki suffered first-round upsets at the $1
million Brisbane International, a hardcourt Australian Open tune-up.
The fourth-seeded left-handed Kerber held off Georgian Anna Tatishvili 6-2,
4-6, 6-2, while a fifth-seeded Errani, of Italy, drubbed Russian qualifier
Olga Puchkova at Queensland Tennis Centre.
Errani's second-round opponent on Tuesday will be last year's Brisbane runner-
up Daniela Hantuchova.
Meanwhile, Swede Sofia Arvidsson knocked out the seventh-seeded former U.S.
Open champion Stosur 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 and Russian qualifier Ksenia Pervak
toppled the eighth-seeded Danish Wozniacki 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-1). Stosur was a
Brisbane finalist back in 2005.
Also, rising American Sloane Stephens bested Slovak Dominika Cibulkova 6-2,
6-3.
Additional wins came for German Sabine Lisicki, France's Alize Cornet and
Puerto Rican qualifier Monica Puig. Lisicki's next opponent will be world No.
1 Victoria Azarenka, while Cornet is rewarded with a Tuesday encounter against
former No. 1 and reigning Wimbledon, U.S. Open, Olympic and Tour
Championships champion Serena Williams, this week's third seed. Azarenka was
the Brisbane titlist in 2009 and runner-up in 2008.
The Sports Network