Former world No.1 Jelena Jankovic heads to Melbourne Park with limited match practice after bombing out in the first round of the Hobart International.

Romania’s Monica Niculescu on Sunday beat the Serb 6-2 6-3.

It’s a blow for the 31-year-old who is trying to overcome a lacklustre 2016, plagued by a shoulder injury.

“I was very nervous; I was not feeling my game; I wasn’t being myself out there,” Jankovic said of Sunday’s match during which she became visibly frustrated.

Jankovic had travelled from China where she was a round-one loser at the Shenzhen Open to Simona Halep who won 6-1 3-6 6-3.

The Australian Open is next on Jankovic’s radar.

“I will just continue to train and get better and, hopefully in Melbourne, will be better,” she said.

“That’s the most-important tournament of this month and, of course, there’s four grand slams and that’s where you want to play your best tennis.

“Hopefully, I can make some changes and get better.”