Kerber loses to world number 68 in Rome
May 17, 2017
The inconsistencies continued for German Angelique Kerber two days after she returned to the top ranking position in the WTA as she suffered a 6-4, 6-0 loss to Anett Kontaveit in the second round of the Rome Masters.
The knockout - with Kerber losing serve five times - left her struggling to find form and fitness ahead of the French Open starting next week.
Kerber came to Rome after extensive treatment on a leg injury suffered last week in Madrid, where she reached the third round but had to retire mid-match against Eugenie Bouchard.
"For sure it's not the easiest time right now for me," Kerber said.
"I have to look for solutions right now. I think that my movement is not the best, especially on clay.
"My legs are always important for my game, but I'm really not feeling so good on clay. I will try going back home and thinking what can I do to be back in Paris - this is the next big goal."
In the men's second round, Canadian fifth seed Milos Raonic dumped out veteran Tommy Haas 6-4, 6-3 while German 16th seed Alexander Zverev beat Serb Viktor Troicki 6-3, 6-4. Juan Martin Del Potro dispatched Britain's Kyle Edmund 7-5, 6-4.
Among the women, second seed Karolina Pliskova hammered Lauren Davis 6-1, 6-1 while Madrid winner Simona Halep beat Laura Siegemund 6-4, 6-4.