Kournikova crashes out

Kournikova's title drought continued in California

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Anna Kournikova's hopes of a first career title were dashed when she stumbled out of the Indian Wells Masters with a 6-1 6-4 first-round defeat to American Lilia Osterloh.

After enjoying one of her best starts to a season having reached three semi-finals, Kournikova appeared tantalisingly close to ending tennis's most famous title drought.

But the Russian, struggling to rebuild her ranking after last year's injury-plagued campaign, slipped back into bad habits against Osterloh.

She hit 11 double faults, slammed easy overheads into the net and sprayed ground strokes to all corners of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

"Obviously it was not my best day," said Kournikova, whose only other first round loss this season was to Belgian Justine Henin at the Australian Open.

"The match just didn't come together for me. Nothing went right, even in the second set when I started to play better."

"I stuck it to her," said Osterloh, taking full credit for the victory. "I forced the issue, she either had to hit a winner or make a good shot.

"I never doubted myself. I just told myself to keep fighting and I'd get my chances and I did."

Kournikova's compatriot Maria Sharapova made a winning start to her professional career at the age of 14.

She dropped the opening set but fought back strongly to ease past American Brie Rippner 5-7 6-2 6-2.

Sharapova now plays Monica Seles in the second round.

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Indian Wells Masters first-round results::

N Dechy (Fra) bt C Beigbeder (Fra) 6-1 6-0
E Dominikovic (Aus) bt M Tu (US) 6-4 6-4
J Kandarr (Ger) bt G-L Garcia (Spa) 6-4 6-4
M Muller (Ger) bt M Diaz-Oliva (Arg) 4-6 6-4 6-0
R Neffa-de los Rios (Par) bt L Granville (US) 6-4 6-0
M Irvin (US) bt V Ruano Pascual (Spa) 6-1 6-4
E Bovina (Rus) bt S Reeves (US) 6-3 6-1
T Snyder (US) bt T Garbin (Ita) 1-6 6-3 6-3
L Osterloh (US) bt A Kournikova (Rus) 6-1 6-4
J Hopkins (US) bt S Foretz (Fra) 6-2 6-1
M Sharapova (Rus) bt B Rittner (Ger) 5-7 6-2 6-2
M Oremans (Ned) bt M Washington (US) 7-5 6-7 (5/7) 6-3
J Nejedly (Can) bt A Roesch (Ger) 6-4 7-5
T Pisnik (Slo) bt K Hrdlickova (Cze) 5-7 6-4 6-3
M Matevzic (Slo) bt M Lucic (Cro) 6-3 6-4
C Black (Zim) bt S Sfar (Tun) 4-6 6-4 6-3
P Mandula (Hun) bt O Barabanschikova (Blr) 6-4 7-6

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