Brisbane, Shenzhen, Auckland Day 1/2: Caroline flops

Brisbane 1st round:

SABINE LISICKI (GER) D LUCIE SAFAROVA (CZE) | 6 - 2 | 6 - 4 |
KSENIA PERVAK (KAZ) D [8] CAROLINE WOZNIACKI (DEN) | 2 - 6 | 6 - 3 | 7 - 6 (1) |
[5] SARA ERRANI (ITA) D OLGA PUCHKOVA (RUS) | 6 - 1 | 6 - 3 |
[4] ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER) D ANNA TATISHVILI (GEO) | 6 - 2 | 4 - 6 | 6 - 2 |
MONICA PUIG (PUR) D OLIVIA ROGOWSKA (AUS) | 6 - 2 | 6 - 3 |
SOFIA ARVIDSSON (SWE) D [7] SAMANTHA STOSUR (AUS) | 7 - 6 (4) | 7 - 5 |
SLOANE STEPHENS (USA) D DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA (SVK) | 6 - 2 | 6 - 3 |
ALIZE CORNET (FRA) D BOJANA BOBUSIC (AUS) | 2 - 6 | 6 - 3 | 6 - 1 |

Shenzhen:

[2] MARION BARTOLI (FRA) D WING-YAU CHAN (HKG) | 6 - 1 | 6 - 0 |
STEFANIE VOEGELE (SUI) D TIMEA BABOS (HUN) | 6 - 4 | 7 - 5 |
JULIA COHEN (USA) D NINA BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) | 0 - 6 | 7 - 6 (7) | 7 - 5 |
[8] BOJANA JOVANOVSKI (SRB) D ALEXANDRA CADANTU (ROU) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 1 |
YING-YING DUAN (CHN) D KIMIKO DATE-KRUMM (JPN) | 7 - 6 (5) | 7 - 5 |
[5] KLARA ZAKOPALOVA (CZE) D ANDREA HLAVACKOVA (CZE) | 6 - 1 | 6 - 1 |
KAI-CHEN CHANG (TPE) D SILVIA SOLER-ESPINOSA (ESP) | 4 - 6 | 6 - 1 | 6 - 3 |
[6] SHUAI PENG (CHN) D ANNE KEOTHAVONG (GBR) | 6 - 4 | 6 - 0 |
AYUMI MORITA (JPN) D YUNG-JAN CHAN (TPE) | 6 - 4 | 6 - 4 |
ELINA SVITOLINA (UKR) D SHAHAR PEER (ISR) | 6 - 1 | 6 - 3 |

Auckland:

JOHANNA LARSSON (SWE) D MISAKI DOI (JPN) | 4 - 6 | 6 - 3 | 6 - 2 |
SIMONA HALEP (ROU) D ARANTXA RUS (NED) | 4 - 6 | 6 - 3 | 6 - 1 |
ELENA VESNINA (RUS) D EUGENIE BOUCHARD (CAN) | 7 - 5 | 6 - 3 |
[3] YANINA WICKMAYER (BEL) D MAGDALENA RYBARIKOVA (SVK) | 7 - 6 (3) | 6 - 2 |
KIRSTEN FLIPKENS (BEL) D GALINA VOSKOBOEVA (KAZ) | 6 - 1 | 6 - 7 (7) | 7 - 5 |
PAULINE PARMENTIER (FRA) D [7] CHRISTINA MCHALE (USA) | 6 - 4 | 6 - 1 |
KIKI BERTENS (NED) D SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA (RUS) | 6 (5) - 7 | 6 - 2 | 7 - 5 |
JAMIE HAMPTON (USA) D [4] JIE ZHENG (CHN) | 7 - 5 | 6 - 1 |
ELENI DANIILIDOU (GRE) D COCO VANDEWEGHE (USA) | 1 - 6 | 7 - 6 (5) | 6 - 4 |

Shockers:

KSENIA PERVAK (KAZ) D [8] CAROLINE WOZNIACKI (DEN) | 2 - 6 | 6 - 3 | 7 - 6 (1) |

You know you're in trouble when you are being overpowered by Ksenia Pervak. Wozniacki seemed to have wasted her off season jetting alongside her boyfriend around the world and playing meaningless exhibitions. The first set was what Caroline was supposed to have improved. Controlled aggression and going for the shots at the right moment. However, it all went awry when Pervak started to play smarter. Also worth a mention is Piotr Wozniacki's monologue during Caroline's on-court coaching. Caroline looked like she couldn't care less on what Piotr had to say and didn't even want to acknowledge him. Maybe it's time for Piotr to go. Players change coaches from time to time to get a different opinion and ways to improve. It is high time that Caroline does that too.

SOFIA ARVIDSSON (SWE) D [7] SAMANTHA STOSUR (AUS) | 7 - 6 (4) | 7 - 5 | 

Brisbane + Stosur = disaster. The Aussie has never done well in Brisbane and this year is not different. Hitting wild shots one after another, you wonder if Stosur actually practised here before. Arvidsson didn't have to do much except keep the ball in and let Stosur self-destruct. Looks like Samantha can forget about ever winning in Melbourne given how she freezes up everytime she plays in her home country.

JULIA COHEN (USA) D NINA BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) | 0 - 6 | 7 - 6 (7) | 7 - 5 | 

6-0 4-2 up, Nina Bratchikova manages to choke and squander 3 match points for WTA's first massive choke of the year. Let's be honest, Cohen's game is not adequate for the main tour. Nina should have more experience then to implode the way she did here. Not to mention that the Russian was up 5-1 in the third set. Just plain ridiculous. 

KIKI BERTENS (NED) D SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA (RUS) | 6 (5) - 7 | 6 - 2 | 7 - 5 | 

Like I said, Kuznetsova will need a couple more matches to get back into the groove. She falter at the pivotal moment but it is understandable. Good job by stretching this into 3 sets but the result was never in doubt for Svetlana's high risk game. I expect her to be back to her winning ways after the Australian Open. Hopefully she's not too deflated by then.

JAMIE HAMPTON (USA) D [4] JIE ZHENG (CHN) | 7 - 5 | 6 - 1 | 

Defending champion, Zheng Jie suffers a disgraceful exit in Auckland, losing her first round match in straight sets. This petite Chinese has a beautiful game when she's on. But when her shots aren't connecting, it is a disaster. It seems like Jie will play to her opponent's level. If she's playing a high ranked player, she will raise her level to match them. But if she faces someone unheralded, she commits the ugliest of mistakes. Good win for Hampton who has a handy game. Top 30 is very possible with her talent.