5 January 2011 | Tennis Queensland

Australia’s Jarmila Groth scored an upset win over No.1 seed and fellow Australia Samantha Stosur in round two of the Brisbane International.

Groth, who is currently ranked No.42 in the world, won the first set 6-2 in 26 minutes. Although Stosur fought back to take a 4-1 lead in the second set, Groth managed to fight back to win 6-2, 6-4.

Groth was very happy with her match play.
  
“I felt I played very well… I fought as hard as I could, running as much as I could and I won, so it was good,” Groth said.

“I was trying to be aggressive and play through the backhand side [because] she has a big forehand… and tried to always keep her on her toes.”

On her hopes for the rest of the tournament, Jamila stated “Every match is different, every player is different but I have to keep doing what I am doing and hopefully keep winning.”

Stosur felt she tried to do what she came to Brisbane to do but didn’t do it well enough.

“Firstly, Jarmila played very well, she made one error and 12 winners in the first set so no matter who you are it’s hard to get a grip on the match if that is what your opponent is doing to you,” Stosur said.

“I would have loved to have done better here… but I’ll get back out on the practice court tomorrow and get myself ready for Sydney, and at the end of the day you want to be peaking for the Australian Open. But no matter where you are or what tournament you are playing, you never want to go out early.”

Earlier tonight on Pat Rafter Arena No.1 seed Robin Soderling defeated qualifier Ryan Harrison in straight sets 6-1 6-4.

The world No.5 was happy with his performance.

“The first match is always the most difficult one…but I think I played very well.”

“He served really well [which] surprised me, it was tough for me but I did not play badly at all. I felt from the start that I was hitting really well.”

In other results Brisbane International’s fifth seed Marcos Baghdatis defeated seasoned Frenchman Florent Serra this afternoon.

The Cypriot and crowd favourite entertained fans with a three set battle 3-6 7-5 6-4.

“It was a tough match because he was playing really good… and I arrived two days ago [so] I still feel jetlagged.”

“It was tough for me to adapt at first, but I fought in the second set… I was serving pretty good and took all my chances… I am happy with how I am playing.”

In another all Aussie line-up, tournament qualifier Matt Ebden defeated wildcard holder and Queenslander John Millman. 

Known for their past close matches, both Ebden and Millman put on a good show for locals, Ebden eventually winning 4-6 6-2 6-4.

“It was a good fight as always,” Ebden commented.

“It’s never easy to play a friend and another Aussie… and we always have good battles.”

“I am very confident about where I am heading [this year], because I have put in a lot of work.”

No.2 seed Shahar Peer and No.3 Verdasco Fernando have made early exits from the Brisbane International today.

Lucie Safarova took two and a half hours to defeat the No.13 player from Israel converting only six from 19 break points to win 3-6 6-1 7-5.

World No. 9 Fernando Verdasco was also overthrown. Germany’s Benjamin Becker, who is currently ranked No.53 in the world, won 6-1 6-7(2) 6-3.  

In other men’s first round results, Radek Stepanek offered fans a gripping three set battle against Germany’s Tobias Kamke on Show Court 1.

Kamke, who improved his world ranking by 187 points last year, won the first set against Stepanek 7-5. However the 2009 Brisbane International champion and last year’s finalist turned the match around to win the second two sets 6-1 6-4.

World No.16 Mardy Fish defeated 22 year old Adrian Mannarino in straight sets 6-1, 6-4 and Australia’s Peter Luczak was defeated by big server Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-4 this afternoon.

Luczak was a lucky loser in the tournament after he replaced Marcel Granollers, who withdrew from the Brisbane International due to a right ankle injury.