STEPHENS SLUMP CONTINUES IN SYDNEY, KERBER BACK FROM THE BRINK

Stephens droop proceeds in Sydney, Kerber once again from the edge 

Qualifier Camila Giorgi whipped US Open champion Sloane Stephens in the first round of the Sydney Worldwide and Angelique Kerber beat Lucie Safarova subsequent to sparing two match focuses. 

Stephens has now not won a match since hair-raisingly guaranteeing a first stupendous pummel on home soil at Flushing Glades last September and neglected to stop the spoil in her first appearance in 2018. 

Giorgi turned into the most recent player to abuse the American's go wrong, taking only 65 minutes to wrap up a 6-3 6-0 triumph on Ken Rosewall Field. 

The 100-positioned Giorgi lost to Ana Bogdan at the Shenzhen Open a week ago in her first match since being thumped out of the US Open in the first round, however easily took care of asking Stephens to leave for good on Monday. 

Giorgi hit 21 victors and broke four times to move into the second round to set up a gathering with Petra Kvitova, who took the main set 6-1 against Mirjana Lucic-Baroni before the Croatian resigned. 

Kerber will have sensitivity for Stephens, having persevered through such battles of her own last year subsequent to guaranteeing her initial two noteworthy titles in 2016, however she made a triumphant begin to her season. 

The German needed to uncover herself from underneath an opening to gain a moment round conflict with Venus Williams, sparing a couple of match focuses in a moment set attach break to obstruct kindred left-hander Safarova before softening twice up the decider to guarantee a hard-battled triumph. 

Dominika Cibulkova represented eighth seed Anastasija Sevastova 6-3 6-1, while Barbora Strycova, Ashleigh Barty, Kiki Bertens and CiCi Bellis additionally came to cycle two. 

Top seed Zhang Shuai was a 7-5 6-3 first-round victor over Magda Linette in the Hobart Worldwide. 

Elise Mertens, the second seed and protecting champion, easily handled beating Kurumi Nara 6-0 6-4, yet third seed Sorana Cirstea was beaten 7-5 6-3 by Heather Watson. 

Tatjana Maria was another seed to bow out, losing 6-4 6-2 to Donna Vekic. Lesia Tsurenko, Aryna Sabalenka and Kirsten Flipkens were among the other first-round champs.