Dual grand slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova stumbled to a three-set loss to unseeded Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens in the first round of the Auckland Classic on Monday.
The former world No.2 won the first set in a tight tiebreak but struggled in windy conditions and went down 6-7 6-2 7-5.
Swirling winds on centre court at the Auckland Tennis Centre contributed to more than 100 unforced errors, but 21-year-old Bertens, whose ranking climbed 120 places in 2012 to No.63, kept her head to clinch one of her best wins.
Kuznetsova took an extended break after dropping the second set to receive treatment for a foot injury but couldn’t arrest Bertens’ momentum.
Frenchwoman Pauline Parmentier ousted seventh-seeded American Christina McHale 6-4 6-1 in an earlier upset.