Sunitha Rao out of Australian Open qualifiers

Melbourne: Indian challenge in the ladies singles event at the Australian Open will once again be confined only to Sania Mirza as Sunitha Rao crashed out of the qualifying event losing her first round match on Thursday.

Sunitha, India's second-highest-ranked player at 196, lost 3-6, 4-6 to America's Melanie Oudin, who is ranked 173 in the WTA list.

India's new tennis sensation Somdev Devvarman, ranked 154th, will play his second round qualifying match on Friday against 207th ranked Lukasz Kubot of Poland.

Somdev had edged compatriot Prakash Amritraj while Kubot has defeated Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France in their first round match.