MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Sam Stosur’s 69th and remaining look in a Grand Slam singles draw resulted in a 6-2 6-2 second-round loss to tenth seeded Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on the Australian Open on Thursday.
The 37-year-old mentioned final month that she would focus solely on doubles after her twentieth singles look at her dwelling Grand Slam going again to 2002.
The former U.S. Open champion had recovered from a set down for a rousing victory in her opening contest at Melbourne Park on Tuesday however there was to be no repeat on Kia Arena.
“I ran for the whole lot as exhausting as I might to attempt to draw it out a little bit bit extra, however Pav performed nice at this time and she or he was simply too good,” she mentioned.
For a very long time the participant almost certainly to finish Australia’s now 44-year anticipate a homegrown ladies’s champion, the previous world quantity 4 reached the fourth spherical at Melbourne Park twice.
She loved extra Grand Slam success outdoors her homeland, most notably her victory over Serena Williams within the remaining of the 2011 U.S. Open and ending runner-up on the French Open a yr earlier.
“I’ve completed greater than I ever thought was potential,” she mentioned. “To do what I dreamed of doing as a little bit child was phenomenal and I could not ask for any extra.
“I’ve had many nice moments right here in Australia and all over the world. It’s been superb.”
Pavlyuchenkova, thrice a Melbourne Park quarter-finallist, powered down 13 winners within the opening set and eight extra within the second to arrange a 3rd spherical tie towards Sorana Cirstea.
Stosur obtained a standing ovation from the group at Melbourne Park’s latest present court docket after Pavlyuchenkova hammered a forehand winner throughout the online to conclude the competition.
“I had gooesbumps when everybody was clapping for Sam,” mentioned the Russian. “She’s such a terrific human being and an incredible tennis participant.”
The cheers turned to boos when Australian Open event director Craig Tiley, beneath fireplace for his function within the Novak Djokovic saga, made his first public look of the week to congratulate Stosur on her singles profession.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, modifying by Michael Perry)
