Kvitova, Radwanska pull out of Sydney International

“A month or two ago I wasn’t even sure I could play the Australian Open, so I’m just so happy to be in Australia, looking forward to playing these two tournaments (with) zero expectations”, the 21-year-old Bouchard said Sunday.

Sam Stosur’s hopes of progressing deep into the Sydney International received a boost with the withdrawal of her potential second-round opponent, Agnieszka Radwanska.

No. 7-ranked Kerber reached the final of last week’s Brisbane International and beat Ukraine’s Eline Svitolina 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 in the first round in Sydney.

The withdrawal of Kvitova and Radwanska came after injury problems at other Australian tournaments for the world’s top-ranked stars, among them Serena Williams (knee), Simona Halep (Achilles tendon), Garbine Muguruza (foot) and Maria Sharapova (forearm).

Defending women’s champion and world No. 6 Petra Kvitova (illness) also pulled out for the second time in the new year. “I’m really sorry that I can’t play in Sydney this week”.

“I was thinking, it’s not really (an) easy draw for first round”, Pliskova said.

Timea Bacsinszky, the sixth seed from Switzerland, crashed out, losing to Anna Karolina Schmiedlova. Australia’s Samantha Stosur fought back from a set and a service break down to overcome defeat by Italy’s Roberta Vinci 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 in two hours 30 minutes.

At the ASB Classic in Auckland, American Jack Sock took only 43 minutes to beat Victor Estrella Burgos 6-0, 6-4 to claim his place in the second round. She was seeded no. 3 in the Sydney tournament.

Germany’s Angelique Kerber overcame the loss of the first set on a day of extreme heat in Sydney as she maintained her build-up to next week’s Australian Open on Monday.

Former No. 5 Eugenie Bouchard, who is entered at Hobart, says she has “zero expectations” at the Australian Open as she makes her comeback from a concussion she sustained at the U.S. Open when she slipped and fell in the dressing room.

“I will try to stay in the Top 10 for the whole year and keep improving my game, but I also want to focus on the bigger tournaments”, she said. “I lost the final against a player who played better (than) impossible”.