• WTA Tour

Wozniacki stumbles to opening defeat

Dominika Cibulkova claimed her first win over a world No. 1 © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Beaten Wozniacki confident for Melbourne
  
• Match report: Clijsters progresses to semi-finals
  
• Match report: Baltacha opens 2011 with victory in Hobart
  
• Profile: Caroline Wozniacki | Vera Zvonareva

World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki's Australian Open preparations hit a setback when she was sent crashing out of the Sydney International by Dominika Cibulkova.

The top seed had not lost a set to Cibulkova in their last five meetings, but she soon found herself on the back foot, after the Slovak snatched an early break en route to a 6-3 6-3 victory.

Trailing 3-2 in the second set, Cibulkova closed out any hopes of a Wozniacki resurgence, winning four straight games to wrap up an impressive victory and seal her place in the quarter-finals.

"At the start of the new season you need to get into match play. I didn't feel I was playing great tennis out there," Wozniacki said.

"Now I just need to get some training matches, head to Melbourne and get ready for the Australian Open. Last year I had the same start, so hopefully slow start, good finish."

Second seed Vera Zvonareva was also upended in her opening match against Flavia Pennetta 7-5 7-5. Kim Clijsters is the last of the top seeds standing after fourth seed Sam Stosur was beaten by a resurgent Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Home favourite Stosur, ranked No. 6 in the world, looked on course to take full advantage of Wozniacki's premature exit, but despite winning the first set, Stosur fell 3-6 6-3 6-4 after an sloppy display, hitting 41 errors.

Clijsters is now the hot favourite to claim her first title of 2011 and stepped up her claims to be a real contender to claim her first Australian Open crown, with a no-nonsense 6-1 6-4 win over Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.

Seventh seed Victoria Azarenka joined Clijsters in the quarter-finals after surviving a tricky tie against Shahar Peer 7-5 6-3, while last year's Australian Open semi-finalist Na Li needed three sets to beat French qualifier Virginie Razzano 6-4 1-6 6-4.

Russia's Alisa Kleybanova also made it into the last eight with a 6-2 6-4 win over Spain's Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.

Meanwhile at the Hobart International in Tasmania, British No. 1 Elena Baltacha will resume her second-round match against Roberta Vinci on Wednesday after rain suspended play.

After a lengthy delay sixth seed Jarmila Groth completed her match, beating Austrian qualifier Tamira Paszek 6-4 7-6(5).

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.