American rising star Sloane Stephens ousted Britain’s Laura Robson 6-4 7-6 (7-4) in the first round of the Hobart International.

Stephens broke Australian-born Robson in the first game of the match then held serve to take the first set in 45 minutes.

The 19-year-old eighth seed broke the Englishwoman in the third game of the second before Robson broke back in the sixth for 3-3.

In a tiebreaker, she shot out to a 5-1 lead that Robson cut to 5-4 before Stephens converted her first match point on serve.

World No.38 Stephens was ousted in the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International by her idol and eventual champion Serena Williams last week.

There were high hopes for 18-year-old Robson in her first Hobart tournament after she became the first Brit to make a WTA final in 22 years at Guangzhou last year.

In the other first round match played on Sunday, fifth seed Carla Suarez Navarro was ousted by Belarusian world No.57 Olga Govortsova 6-2 6-1.

Brisbane international finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova pulled out of the tournament with a hip injury.