The country's top tennis players have had an unrewarding afternoon at international tournaments in Australia and New Zealand.
Women's number one Marina Erakovic has lost her first round match at the Hobart international, going down two sets to one to fourth seed Zheng Jie of China, 6-1 4-6 6-1, as she builds up to next week's first grand slam of the year the Australian Open in Melbourne.
In Auckland, New Zealand men's number two Dan King-Turner says his serve let him as he failed to get past the first round of the Heinken Open in Auckland.
King-Turner's first serve percentage was only 38 percent in his 6-4, 7-5 loss to American sixth seed Sam Querrey.
The former world number one and last year's runner up Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain is through to the second round after 19-year-old Kei Nishikori of Japan pulled out in the first set with an arm injury, with Ferero leading 5-3.
