Venus loses, Serena gets scare at Aussie
(AP)
Updated: 2006-01-17 09:05

"I just seemed to get to a point there, I just couldn't pull my game together," said Williams, who was playing her first tour-level match since September. "I don't know what happened. I just was struggling to keep the ball in today. Obviously, she benefited from my largesse."

Serena Williams of the U.S. (R) serves to China's Li Na at the Rod Laver Arena during the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 16, 2006. [Reuters]

It was only the third time in 34 Grand Slam tournaments she has lost in the first round. The previous time was the 2001 French Open.

Davenport had no trouble against Australian wild card Casey Dellacqua, winning 6-2, 6-1. Fourth-seeded Sharapova beat Germany's Sandra Kloesel by the same score.

Sharapova, an Australian semifinalist last year, said she was not bothered by shoulder pain that sidelined her late last season.

Former Wimbledon semifinalist Jelena Dokic, in her first Australian Open since 2001, crumbled after thinking she'd won in straight sets. Dokic celebrated a forehand on match point at 6-5 in the second set, but it was overruled and called long. Virginie Razzano rallied to win 3-6 7-6 (6) 6-1.

"I was already really happy, and then half an hour later I was the most disappointed," Dokic said. "It puts you down mentally."