Samantha Stosur crashes out in first round of Brisbane International with loss to Anastasija Sevastona

SAMANTHA Stosur has made another early exit from her home tournament, losing her first round match at the Brisbane International.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA — DECEMBER 31: Samantha Stosur of Australia looks dejected after losing a point in her match against Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia during day one at the 2018 Brisbane International at Pat Rafter Arena on December 31, 2017 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

THE year 2018 brings up a seven-year Grand Slam itch Samantha Stosur still has a burning desire to scratch, despite suffering another early exit from her home tournament.

Beaten convincingly by Latvian No.7 seed Anastasija Sevastova 6-1, 6-3 in the Brisbane International first round, Stosur remains driven by memories of winning the 2011 US Open.

And Stosur’s fourth-round showing at the 2017 French Open, where she lost to eventual champion Jelena Ostapenko while battling a hand injury that then sidelined her for three months, gives her belief she can at least equal her best Australian Open result of reaching the round of 16 this month.

Things fell apart again for Stosur.

“Having that taste of a Grand Slam victory, you think you would like to do that again,” Stosur said.

“At the French Open when I was playing really well, it was kind of getting a little bit exciting and I was feeling really good and I think weeks like that, it really keeps that drive and determination going.

“You hit a big forehand, that feels good. You win a match, that feels good. They’re all just those little things that keep you going to hopefully achieve something really good at the end that you’re proud of.”

Stosur has never made it past the second round in Brisbane in eight appearances.

Sevastova took just over an hour to defeat the 33-year-old with a superior service game, while the Queenslander failed to convert any of her five break points.

But Stosur remained upbeat.

“I didn’t feel too bad,” she said.

“She actually played a really good match.

“There’s obviously things that you want to do better and things that I’ll be certainly working on before I play in Sydney. But overall I’m not walking away thinking, ‘oh, jeez, it’s a really terrible start,’ or anything like that.”

Stosur planned to stay in Brisbane seeking practice matches before heading to Sydney on Wednesday or Thursday.

Sevastova celebrates her victory.

And while Stosur believes Roland Garros remains her best chance of once again tasting major success, she has her sights set on reaching the fourth round at Melbourne Park for the first time since 2010.

“Fourth round was, I guess, a few years ago now but I think that will be a pretty decent goal for me to try to make second week,” she said.

“I still feel like I’ve got it in me. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t be doing this.”

Alize Cornet, the 2017 Brisbane runner-up, advanced after No.4 seed and fellow Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia quit their first round match in tears with lower back pain at the start of the third set.

Garcia did not believe it was the same injury that troubled her last year and remained hopeful her Australian Open campaign was not in doubt.

“With the back it’s always complicated, especially mine,” Garcia said.

“It’s really something I take care of, so it’s kind of surprising for it to show up like this. But we’ll do the best that we can.”

Australia’s Croatian import Ajla Tomljanovic defeated fellow wildcard Destanee Aiava, 6-1, 6-4 in 53 minutes.

Tomljanovic said practising with Nick Kyrgios, who watched her match, had helped her preparation.

“We definitely hit sometimes. Sometimes I don’t want to just because I’m so sick of the spinning forehands and unrealistic serves,” she said.

“But for me, obviously, it’s really good. It definitely only helps. No girl hits like that.”

Originally published as Samantha Stosur crashes out in first round of Brisbane International with loss to Anastasija Sevastona