Tauson tumbled in Adelaide

No. 5 Clara Tauson retired with a lower back injury while fellow seeds advanced to the second round at the ATP-WTA  Adelaide International on Monday,

The tournament debut for the Dane did not go to plan, with Australian wild card  Ajla Tomljanovic collecting a season-opening win 7-6 (7/5), retired.

“It’s never easy to play someone that’s hampered,” the winner said. “Something was really wrong and I feel sorry. I had to hustle against her, I was ready for a tough match.”

Opening day at Memorial Drive went smoother for sixth seeded Emma Navarro and Canadian eighth seed Victoria Mboko.

Navarro, a quarter-finalist here in 2025, defeated Australian teenaged wild card Emerson Jones 6-3, 6-3.

“It’s nice to start 2026 with a win,” Navarro said. “I enjoy competing, it was a tough match today, She challenged me a good bit.”

The American added: “I feel good about my work today. I also like being out in the (summer) heat – it hurts a bit but in a good way.”

Mboko, who won her home WTA 10000 title in Toronto last season, and rose from outside 300 in the rankings to her current 18th  She needed a comeback to get past Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia 5-7, 6-3, 6-2.

 “It’s a new life for me,” said the breakthrough titlewinner from last season. “2025 brought me to new heights and changed my life for the better.

“This was a difficult match for me – I feel relieved. I wanted to stand my ground as much as possible and fight hard on every point.”