Qualifier shocks fourth-seeded Lucic in first round of Lexus tennis tourney
Qualifier Krista Hardebeck, a 17-year-old high school senior from Santa Ana, Calif., upset fourth-seeded Mirjana Lucic of Croatia 7-6, 6-4 Wednesday in the first round of the $50,000 Lexus of Las Vegas Open at Red Rock Country Club.
Lucic, a 1999 Wimbledon semifinalist, called for a trainer during the match, saying she thought she was going to faint several times.
Hardebeck, ranked just inside the top 500, today will play Maria Sanchez, a former Southern California All-American.
American Melanie Oudin, who made the U.S. Open quarterfinals in 2009, lost to Sessil Karatantcheva of Kazakhstan, 7-5, 6-7 (2), 6-0.
Las Vegan Asia Muhammad fell to second-seeded Anna Tatishvili of Georgia, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. Muhammad lost in doubles Tuesday.
"It's always nice to play in your hometown," said Muhammad, who first played in the main draw at the Las Vegas event as a 14-year-old in 2006 and was a finalist in 2008. "It sucks that I wasn't able to do better in singles and doubles, but it's OK."
