Confused Aussies ‘tough pill to swallow’

A devastated Kimberly Birrell says she “takes responsibility” for her shock first-round exit to a lucky loser after her seeded opponent pulled the pin just minutes before she was due to step on the court.

Birrell prepared to take on Anna Kalinskaya, no. 13 when the Russian withdrew for an undisclosed reason just before the end of the previous men’s clash at the Kia Arena.

Instead, she was given a golden opportunity to reach the second round against German lucky loser Eva Lys, but the 26-year-old Queenslander was comprehensively beaten 6-2, 6-2 as her frustrations boiled over on Tuesday.

Birrell, who became Australia’s top-ranked women’s player this month after a superb run to the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International, was in tears after the match as she admitted the change of opponent at such late notice had left her “rattled” and allowed world No.128 Light to dictate terms.

“I have no idea what the reason was (for Kalinskaya’s withdrawal) and I couldn’t give you an exact time – I know it wasn’t very long before the end of the men’s match,” she said.

“Absolutely (it threw me). I had prepared to play Anna – she’s a really great player and I knew I was in a match against her.

“I had done my research and talked to my team a lot. Unfortunately, that’s not who I was facing today and to find out that she pulled out and I was playing someone completely different, it rattled me, unfortunately.

“When I said that, (Lys) was in the same position as me – she didn’t know she had to play.

“So we were both put in pretty difficult situations and I take responsibility for not handling it.

“(Lys) played really well, she came out swinging – and I didn’t have my best day.”

Kalinskaya, who is the partner of men’s world no. 1 Jannik Sinner, had withdrawn mid-match during the Adelaide International last week, again for an unknown reason.

Lys, who said she was lying on a massage table when she received the news 10 minutes before kick-off, was also not told why Kalinskaya had withdrawn.

“I was a bit panicked because I didn’t really prepare my drinks, I didn’t have matches on,” said the 23-year-old German.

“So no warm-up, no nothing – maybe that’s the key to the next game.

I went out with no expectations. So I think that definitely helps. And for my opponent, it was definitely difficult to get the opponent to switch, because if you know who you’re playing, you prepare for ages.”

Birrell broke down as she described her reaction to the change of opponent after the elation of her successful qualifying run last week.

“It just got away from me – beforehand, my nerves got up quite a bit, and then when you get the nerves going, your tendency is to do the opposite of what you’re supposed to do,” she said.

“It was one of those difficult situations and something that I can definitely learn from.

“To have a day like today is a tough pill to swallow, but it happens – I certainly don’t want that to be the memory I take from this AO swing – I want to remember the good matches (in qualifying) and great times I’ve had with my family and with the crowd.

“I’ve got doubles coming up, so obviously I’m going to get all this out, feel the disappointment and then I’m going to pick myself up and go again.”