Stosur Extends Australian Open Drought

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 17: Samantha Stosur of Australia talks to the media at a press conference following her first round loss against Heather Watson of Great Britain on day two of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 17, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Sam Stosur’s long Australian drought has been extended with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 loss to Heather Watson, making it back-to-back first-round defeats at her home Grand Slam tournament.The 32-year-old Australian entered the tournament on an eight-match losing streak stretching back to the first round of the U.S. Open last September.

Stosur won the 2011 U.S. Open, a surprising winner over Serena Williams in the final, and has reached the French Open final. Her best run at home, though, remains fourth-round exits in 2006 and ’10.

She lost last year to Kristyna Pliskova, who was ranked No. 114. Watson, ranked 81st, has lost in the first round in four of her previous five trips to the Australian Open.