Samantha Stosur's miserable run in Australia has continued with a deflating first-round exit from the Sydney International.
Stosur's 6-3 6-7 (7-9) 6-4 defeat at the hands of China's world No.42 Jie Zheng was her fifth consecutive loss in Australia, a demoralising run that stretches back to last summer.
The world No.9 will head to Melbourne for the Australian Open starting next Monday alarmingly underdone after playing just two matches since undergoing minor ankle surgery six weeks ago.
With little history of performing well at a major without a strong build-up, Stosur's Open prospects look grim.
The 2011 US Open champion made a bright enough start against Jie, establishing two break points in the very first game.
But after failing to convert either, Jie broke Stosur in the second and sixth games of the opening sets as Australia's big hope struggled to find her rhythm.
Stosur clawed her way back from 5-1 to 5-3 before netting one of several mistimed backhands to hand the former Australian Open and Wimbledon semi-finalist the opening set.
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