The miserable run of Australian tennis player Samantha Stosur has continued with a first-round exit from the Sydney International.
The former US Open champion's three-set defeat at the hands of China's Jie Zheng, a first round loser at last week's ASB Classic in Auckland, was her fifth consecutive loss in Australia.
The world number nine will head to Melbourne for the Australian Open starting next Monday alarmingly underdone after playing just two matches since undergoing minor ankle surgery six weeks ago.