Defending champion Maria Sharapova fell victim to local favourite Kimiko Date Krumm in the first round of the Pan Pacific Open women's tennis tournament on Monday. The Russian 12th seed, who also won here in 2005, dug her own grave by hitting 11 double faults - nine of them in her broken-service games - to go down 5-7, 6-3, 3-6 to the Japanese.
"My opponent played really a solid match. I didn't feel comfortable throughout the match. Rhythm wasn't there and I couldn't take an advantage. She did a good job," said Sharapova. "Her style of play is quite different. Her strokes are pretty fast, she stays inside the baseline and takes the ball early, so the style is different from the majority on the tour. "On this fast surface, she uses that advantage, especially today, I think she did incredibly well," added the Russian.
In other first round action, Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan defeated Japan's Kurumi Nara 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, while Sara Errani of Italy outclassed Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-2. The 15th seed Nadia Petrova of Russia crashed to a 7-5, 6-4 defeat to Roberta Vinci of Italy.