Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki started the new season in shocking fashion, losing 2-6 6-3 7-6 to to Kazakhstan qualifier Ksenia Pervak in the first round of the Brisbane Open on Monday.
McIlroy rumours denied
Wozniacki was also quick to dismiss claims that she'd got engaged to the world's top golfer Rory McIlroy. The Ulsterman was in the crowd at the Pat Rafter Arena watching her play.
Rumours about the pair's engagement has been rife after Wozniacki was photographed with a new ring on her left hand, but the 22-year-old explained on Monday that the ring was a Christmas gift.
"It was a Christmas present and it fit on this finger and I put it on, and all of a sudden I hear that I'm engaged. But I'm not," she said.
"So, yeah, it's already twice we've had to shut down engagement rumors. Don't worry, we will let you know if that time happens!"
In earlier matches, the fourth-seeded Angelique Kerber recorded a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 win over Anna Tatishvili while French Open runner-up Sara Errani beat Olga Puchkova 6-1, 6-3.
Alice Cornet will face Serena Williams in the second round after beating Australian qualifier Bojana Bobusic 2-6, 6-3, 6-1, and Sabine Lisicki opened with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Lucie Safarova. She will play current world number one Victoria Azarenka in the next round.
