Tennis: Baker out of ASB Classic

6:00 PM

New Zealand's only representative in the singles draw at the ASB Classic tennis tournament in Auckland has been beaten in the first round.

Austrian second seed Barbara Schett has beaten 19-year-old kiwi wild card Leanne Baker 6-1, 6-4.

Third seed Nathalie Dechy of France was also beaten today, going down in three sets to Germany's Marlene Weingartner.

Dechy led 5-2 in the first set, before the 87th ranked Weingartner stormed back to win in a tie-break.

Dechy took the second set 6-4, but Weingartner again found her game to win the deciding set 6-love.

Defending champ and fifth seed Anne Kremer has cruised through into the second round after beating Switzerland's Emmanuelle Gagliardi 6-2, 6-love.

- IRN