Tennis: Pe'er, Sela only Israelis left in the singles

Evgenia Linetskaya lost to Luxembourg's Anne Kremer in the first round of the Australian Open.

By ALLON SINAI
peer 298.88 (photo credit: AP)
peer 298.88
(photo credit: AP)
Evgenia Linetskaya lost 7-6 (8) 6-0 to Luxembourg's Anne Kremer in the first round of the Australian Open on Tuesday, leaving Shahar Pe'er and Dudi Sela as Israel's only remaining singles players in the tournament. Linetskaya (584 in the world) was playing for the first time as an Israeli on Tuesday, after making aliya from Russia last year. The 21-year-old, who reached the fourth round of the Australian Open in 2005 as a Russian, fell to an early 5-2 deficit, but reeled off the next four games and served for the set in the 12th game. Kremer (84), however, broke the Israeli's serve in the crucial game and saved two set points in the tiebreak to claim the first set. Linetskaya's spirit was broken after coming so close in the first set and Kremer won six games on the trot to advance to the second round. On Wednesday, Pe'er (17) and Sela (66) return to the court to play their second round matches. Pe'er faces Australian wild card Jessica Moore (376) and Sela plays Croatian Ivo Karlovic (24). Andy Ram and Yoni Erlich, who are seeded eighth in the tournament, will play their first round match against Russian's Igor Kunitsyn and Dmitry Tursunov on Wednesday, with Tzipi Obziler teaming up with Ashley Harkleroad in a first round doubles match against Laura Granville and Vladimira Uhlirova.