Sharapova, making her first appearance at Melbourne Park since winning the championship two years ago, lost to fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko 7-6 3-6 6-4 on the Rod Laver Arena. Unable to defend her title last year because of a shoulder injury, Sharapova was a shadow of the player who stormed to the 2008 title without dropping a single set, contributing to her own defeat with 66 unforced errors and 11 double faults.
"It's the first tournament of the year and I just came up against somebody that just played really good tennis," Sharapova said. "I could be disappointed or I could just take it as it is and just go back on the court and just keep working. I choose option two." Sharapova was the only major casualty on a day where everything else went according to script, except Melbourne's fickle weather.
Instead of the extreme heat that has left competitors soaked in sweat and gasping for air, the players were greeted by wind and rain when they arrived this time. Matches on the outside courts were delayed then interrupted by showers while organisers closed the giant retractable roofs on the two main courts to ensure the feature matches went ahead.
Clijsters was runner-up at the Australian Open in 2004 but had given up on the idea of ever winning the title when she quit the sport in 2007. But she made a fairytale comeback to the tour last year, winning the US Open, and is suddenly looming as one of the favourites in Melbourne after launching her campaign with a 6-0 6-4 win over Canadian qualifier Valerie Tetreault. With the exception of Sharapova, the leading Russian women all advanced safely with Safina and Kuznetsova both sailing through their first matches.
Safina, a finalist in Melbourne last year, defeated Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova 6-4 6-4 despite still trying to rebuild her fitness after suffering back pain late last year. Kuznetsova, who beat Safina in the final of last year's French Open to capture her second grand slam title, showed why she is a genuine contender in Melbourne with a clinical 6-1 6-2 win over Anastasia Rodionova, who recently switched nationalities from Russia to Australia. Police ejected 11 spectators on Monday for carrying a flare then standing on seats during Croatian Ivo Karlovic's five-set win over Czech Radek Stepanek.
HENIN MAKES TRIUMPHANT RETURN Justine Henin made a triumphant return to Melbourne Park on Monday, romping past fellow Belgian Kirsten Flipkens in the first round of the Australian Open. The seven-times grand slam winner, who returned to competitive tennis two weeks ago at the Brisbane International after an 18-month retirement, was too strong for the 71st ranked Flipkens and wrapped up a 6-4 6-3 victory in 73 minutes.
DEMENTIEVA SETS UP CLASH WITH HENIN Fifth-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva set up a mouth-watering second-round clash with Justine Henin after dispatching compatriot Vera Dushevina 6-2 6-1 on Monday. Former world number one Henin, who returned to competitive tennis at the Brisbane International after an 18-month retirement, beat her fellow Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 6-4 6-3. Women's singles first round results from Melbourne on Monday (prefix number denotes seeding, * new result)
Justine Henin (Belgium) beat Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) 6-4 6-3; 3-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) beat Anastasia Rodionova (Australia) 6-1 6-2; 12-Flavia Pennetta (Italy) beat Anna Chakvetadze (Russia) 6-3 3-6 6-2; Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium) beat Alexandra Dulgheru (Romania) 1-6 7-5 10-8; 24-Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (Spain) beat Evgeniya Rodina (Russia) 6-0 6-0; 15-Kim Clijsters (Belgium) beat Valerie Tetreault (Canada) 6-0 6-4; Maria Kirilenko (Russia) beat 14-Maria Sharapova (Russia) 7-6(4) 3-6 6-4; 2-Dinara Safina (Russia) beat Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia) 6-4 6-4; Elena Baltacha (Britain) beat Pauline Parmentier (France) 6-4 3-6 7-5; Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) beat Anastasija Sevastova (Latvia) 6-2 6-4; Zheng Jie (China) beat Peng Shuai (China) 0-6 6-1 6-2; Yvonne Meusburger (Austria) beat Timea Bacsinszky (Switzerland) 6-4 4-6 6-2; 30-Kateryna Bondarenko (Ukraine) beat Raluca Olaru (Romania) 6-2 7-6(6).