India's top singles player Somdev Devvarman choked after initially showing promise as he lost to sixth seed Yen Hsun lu of Chinese Taipei in straight sets. An error-prone Somdev, a wild card entrant, lost 3-6, 4-6 in 80 minutes to lu, ranked 38th in the world. In his first round match before a supportive crowd at the centre court, Somdev failed to raise his game in his 11th appearance in the ATP event. It was though a well earned win for lu as Somdev wilted under pressure and surrendered the initiative after showing glimpses of counter attacking tennis.
The Indian star made mistakes and failed to finish the rallies after holding advantage. In the first set, Somdev was struck to baseline play most of the time by lu, the top Chinese Taipei player and the Indian came up short in dealing with the situation. In the second set, Somdev did enjoy some superiority and played brilliant volleys and cross-court returns but he lacked consistency. lu grabbed the initiative to break Somdev and led 3-1. The Indian managed to hold his serve and then broke back lu to neutralize the score to 3-3.
However, lu waited for his chances and managed to take 5-4 lead before holding his serve to win the set and the match. Earlier, Ramkumar Ramanathan paid the price of not containing his unforced errors as he made a first round exit while his compatriot and qualifier Vijay Sundar Prashanth also bowed out after a crushing defeat.
Ramkumar suffered a 3-6, 3-6 defeat at the hands of World No. 87 Japanese Tatsuma Ito. Prasanth was no match to Jiri Vesely of Czech Republic, copping a 2-6, 1-6 bashing in 67 minutes. In a doubles match at the centre court Stanislas Wawrinka, winner of the doubles title in 2013 here, playing with Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut came from behind to upset third seeds Johan Brunstrom (Sweden) and Nicholas Monroe (USA) 5-7, 6-3, 10-8 in 83 minutes.
Novak Starts Strongly
Doha (Qatar): Top-ranked Novak Djokovic started off his 2015 season with a swift 6-2, 6-1 win over Serbian countryman Dusan lajovic at the Qatar Open on Tuesday. Third-seeded Tomas Berdych also advanced to the second round with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan.
However it was a poor start for Rafael Nadal making a comeback from a injury as he succumbed to German qualifier Michael Berrer 6-1, 3-6, 4-6. Nadal, the defending champion, had three break points on Berrer's seve in the final game of the match, but couldn't convert them to level for 5-5.
He was sidelined for three months with a right wrist injury after Wimbledon and then had an appendectomy in early November.
Maria Starts With Win
Brisbane: Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova were playing in tournaments on opposite sides of Australia, their form veering in opposite directions. The second-ranked Sharapova opened her 2015 season by winning nine straight games in a 6-0, 6-1 win over Yaroslava Shvedova on Tuesday in the second round of the Brisbane International.
On Tuesday, Williams slumped to a 6-2, 6-1 loss to Eugenie Bouchard of Canada in the Hopman Cup. The Canadians clinched the Group A match against the US when Vasek Pospisil beat John Isner 6-3, 7-6 (4).