Elena Baltacha bows out in first round to unpredictable Dokic in Hobart

BRITISH No 1 Elena Baltacha went out in the first round of the Moorilla Hobart International after a straight-sets defeat by Jelena Dokic.

The 26-year-old went down 6-4, 6-2 to the former world No 4 who illustrated the unpredictability of her game, producing seven double faults but also hitting 11 aces.

Baltacha also came through qualifying in Auckland last week before going down in straight sets to Romanian Ioana Raluca Olaru.

In Sydney, seventh seed Jelena Jankovic suffered a surprise first-round defeat in the Medibank International, going down to Hungary's Agnes Szavay in an epic encounter.

The Serbian, ranked eighth in the world, will be hoping for much better at the Australian Open starting next week after world No 40 Szavay triumphed 5-7, 6-1, 7-5 in a match lasting two hours and 37 minutes.

Fourth seed Caroline Wozniacki was also dumped out at the first hurdle by China's Na Li, who beat the Dane 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 while eighth seed Vera Zvonareva was forced to quit her match against fellow Russian Elena Vesnina at 3-3 in the first set.

Home favourite Samantha Stosur lost 6-3, 6-1 to Italy's Flavia Pennetta and world No 10 Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland beat American qualifier Jill Craybas 6-0, 6-4.

In the men's event, Richard Gasquet continued his build-up to the Australian Open with a straightforward 6-1, 6-4 first-round victory over Feliciano Lopez. World No 53 Gasquet, who lost to eventual winner Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International last week, saved all three break points he faced en route to his win.