Australian Open champion Kerber knocked out in Paris first round

[May 24, 2016]  PARIS (Reuters) - Angelique Kerber's first grand slam match since winning the Australian Open in January ended in despair after she was beaten 6-2 3-6 6-3 by Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands in the French Open first round on Tuesday.

 Angelique Kerber serves the ball. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

The German third seed struggled with a shoulder injury in the third set and went off court for treatment when trailing 3-0.

The break failed to revitalize her, however, and after saving two match points, Kerber surrendered her title hopes with an ill-judged dropshot that failed to clear the net.

World number 58 Bertens will next play either French wild card Alize Lim or Italian Camila Giorgi.

(Reporting by Pritha Sarkar, editing by Ed Osmond)

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