Ousted Wozniacki laments aiding Putintseva comeback

REUTERS – Caroline Wozniacki was left ruing her inability to see off Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva after the unseeded 21-year-old rallied back from a set down to knock out her more established opponent in the first round of the Australian Open on Monday.

Putintseva notched the tournament’s first upset by beating Wozniacki 1-6 7-6(3) 6-4 at the Hisense Arena, leaving the Dane kicking herself over the result.

The defeat marked the first time that former world number one Wozniacki, who appeared to be carrying an injury during the three-hour match, lost in the opening round at Melbourne Park.

“I would say it’s a pretty (rubbish) start to the season. It wasn’t a pretty first set but I got it done and really should have closed it off in two,” Wozniacki said after the game.

“You know, I let her back into the match, and it was basically my own fault that I’m not here as the winner.”

(Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru; editing by Sudipto Ganguly)