Pierce Sent Packing

Former champion Mary Pierce crashed out of the second round in straight sets to Iveta Benesova.

The tournament’s fifth seed was expected to romp home over her more inexperienced opponent but she struggled from the outset and Benesova won 6-3, 7-5.

The Czech, who had never made it past the second round in a grand slam tournament, won the first five games of the match en route to claiming the first set.

Pierce did find some rhythm in the second and broke Benesova to lead 5-3, only for the 22-year-old to break right back.

She then won the next three games to set up a meeting with Martina Hingis or Emma Laine in the third round.

Pierce, who also boasts a French Open title, ended up hitting 41 unforced errors - 25 in the second set - to Benesova’s 19.

Kim Clijsters was also made to battle - a back problem - as she faced Meng Yuan of China. The Belgian eventually won 6-4, 6-2 after 29 unforced errors turned what should have been an easy first set into a struggle.

The second set saw the world No2 improve as she cut down on her error rate, managing two breaks of serve to take the match.

Clijsters admitted she was concerned heading into a third-round match-up with Italy’s Roberta Vinci.

"My hip is actually pretty good," she said. "It’s my lower back that’s not doing too great.

"The problem that I had in Sydney with the fluid, I think it’s with the anti-inflammatories that I’m taking, is reducing and it’s helping a lot. It’s just my lower back that’s struggling.

"I think that my hip has always probably been not the strongest part of my body, especially when I was younger growing up, I had always had some lower back problems."

She then revealed that she would not make a decision on playing until the morning of her next match, which is due on Saturday.

"Every day I hope it improves. But, I’m sort of waiting every day and see how it feels. So I can’t tell you now yet.

"I’m not someone who’s going to give up and if I say, no, it hurts tomorrow, I’m not going to hit. I’m going to try. At least I’m going to try out there and see."

Other results

Aiko Nakamura (Jpn) bt Gisela Dulko (Arg) 6-1, 6-1; Flavia Pennetta (Ita) bt Martina Sucha (Svk) 6-3, 6-0; Nicole Vaidisova (Cze) bt Anna Chakvetadze (Rus) 6-2, 6-1; Michaella Krajicek (Ned) bt Sania Mirza (Ind) 6-3, 7-5; Samantha Stosur (Aus) bt Ana Ivanovic (Ser) 6-3, 7-5; Sybille Bammer (Aut) bt Zi Yan (Chn) 6-3, 6-4; Maria Antonia Sanchez-Lorenzo (Spa) bt Anna-Lena Groenefeld (Ger) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1; Anastasia Myskina (Rus) bt Jamea Jackson (USA) 7-6 (7-4), 0-6, 6-3; Patty Schnyder (Swi) bt Shinobu Asagoe (Jpn) 6-1, 7-6 (11-9); Amelie Mauresmo (Fra) bt Emilie Loit (Fra) 7-6 (7-1), 6-2; Sofia Arvidsson (Swe) bt Dinara Safina (Rus) 6-4, 6-0; Francesca Schiavone (Ita) bt Catalina Castano (Col) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3; Roberta Vinci (Ita) bt Marion Bartoli (Fra) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.