Hsieh, Schiavone out early at Hobart

Top-seeded Hsieh Su-wei lost to former doubles partner Peng Shuai of China 6-2, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4) in the first round of the Hobart International on Monday. Peng led 6-2 and 5-2 before her Taiwanese rival rallied to take the match into a third set. Peng took a 4-1 lead and wasted three match points before eventually overcoming the No. 25-ranked Hsieh. Second-seeded Sorana Cirstea of Romania beat Nina Bratchikova of Russia 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 and No. 4 Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan had a 6-4, 6-1 win over Lourdes Dominguez Lino of Spain. Another of the leading players to fall was 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, seeded sixth, who lost to Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3).