Vekic is first seeded casualty

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) – Sixth-seed Donna Vekic of Croatia was the first seeded player to be knocked out of the BMW Malaysian Open Tuesday after she lost 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 to American Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the first round.

The 16-year-old, who is ranked world number 93 and only turned professional in September, was outmanoeuvred in the match against an opponent who is better known for her doubles play.

The 27-year-old Mattek-Sands, who is world number 197, arrived in Kuala Lumpur to participate in the rain-lashed tournament after winning a doubles title with India’s Sania Mirza in Dubai last week.

The American, who is playing in Malaysia for the first time, said she was still adapting to the Southeast Asian country’s humidity.

Rain marred the first two days of play, putting the tournament well behind schedule with six matches postponed to Wednesday.

Top seed and former world number one Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark is also scheduled to play Wednesday.

Mattek-Sands will now face either Marta Sirotkina of Russia or Duan Yingying of China in the second round.