French Open 2017: Johanna Konta stunned by world No 109 Su-Wei Hsieh in first round
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Updated 30/05/2017 at 13:58 GMT
Johanna Konta fell to an embarrassing first-round defeat to world No 109 Su-Wei Hsieh at the French Open.
Taiwans's Hsieh Su-wei shakes the hand of Great Britain's Johanna Konta after winning their first round match Reuters / Christian Hartmann
Image credit: Reuters
Starting splendid in cerise, 26-year-old seventh seed Konta swept through the first set in 26 minutes, dominating her Taiwanese opponent with heavy serves, heavy groundstrokes and an aggressive front-foot-forward style.
But almost as soon as she had asserted her dominance, the Briton relinquished it, allowing her opponent to settle into a metronomic rhythm of awkward double-fisted groundstrokes off both sides.
Time after time Hsieh spooned clumsily-hit groundstrokes deep into the Philippe Chatrier court, sidespun or sliced, for Konta to swipe her replies wide or long.
And once the Taiwanese had levelled matters in a second-set tiebreak, she had all the momentum, while Konta continued to spray errors all around the arena.
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Johanna Konta is out in France.
Image credit: Eurosport
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Fittingly, it was yet another lame forehand into the net that sealed the Briton's fate, as she was left to return to London to prepare for Wimbledon.
Hsieh has a second-round clash to look forward to, and could barely contain her delight.
"Thank you for my team," she giggled, as Konta gathered up her bags and left the court.
"Merci beaucoup for the match today."
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Su-Wei Hsieh of Chinese Taipei celebrates during her match with Johanna Konta during Day Three at Roland Garros on May 30, 2017 in Paris, France.
Image credit: Eurosport
Hsieh will next play American Taylor Townsend, who beat Japanese qualifier Miyu Kato 6-4 6-0.
Results from the French Open Women's Singles Round 1 matches on Tuesday
12-Madison Keys (U.S.) beat Ashleigh Barty (Australia) 6-3 6-2
Petra Martic (Croatia) beat Kateryna Bondarenko (Ukraine) 6-2 7-5
Alize Cornet (France) beat Timea Babos (Hungary) 6-2 6-7(5) 6-2
Hsieh Su-Wei (Taiwan) beat 7-Johanna Konta (Britain) 1-6 7-6(2) 6-4
21-Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) beat Maria Sakkari (Greece) 6-4 6-2
5-Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) beat Yaroslava Shvedova (Kazakhstan) 6-4 6-3
Tsvetana Pironkova (Bulgaria) beat Mona Barthel (Germany) 6-0 6-4
Taylor Townsend (U.S.) beat Miyu Kato (Japan) 6-4 6-0
Sorana Cirstea (Romania) beat Peng Shuai (China) 6-3 6-1
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