NEW YORK — Samantha Stosur looked like a defending champion, not the player who has struggled often this year, in her first match at the US Open. The seventh-seeded Australian needed just 51 minutes to beat Petra Martic of Croatia 6-1, 6-1 Monday in the tournament's first match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Stosur stunned Serena Williams in last year's final at Flushing Meadows with a straight-set win for her first Grand Slam title. But in 2012, she lost in the first round of the Australian Open and London Olympics and the second round at Wimbledon. On Monday against the 64th-ranked Martic, who withdrew from the Olympics with a left foot injury, Stosur had 22 winners and 10 aces and didn't face any break points. In another match Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic beat Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain 6-3, 6-3. Play was suspended soon after the Stosur match when rain showers swept through the National Tennis Center at Flushing Meadows. ‘Players ponder Australia boycott' ATP Tour players are considering a boycott of next January's Australian Open in a bid to gain a higher percentage of Grand Slam event revenues for themselves, the Sunday Times of London reported. The move would be less about the top prize earners as much as it would be about boosting payouts to those who exit in early rounds and the struggle of players outside the world's top 60 or so to make ends meet. Players pay much of their own expenses and travel. Those without well-paying sponsorship deals must still make a global trek to sustain their careers. An ATP players meeting, including ATP players council president Roger Federer, was staged Friday in New York ahead of Monday's start of the US Open. Federer spoke about the meeting Saturday without mentioning a potential boycott, making it clear he would not reveal any details of what was discussed. “It's about just getting back to the players, making sure everybody is on the same page and understanding what the situation is,” he said. “It's not only the Grand Slam issue, but many other issues always pending. “Finally we really have engaged players and I think that's a very good thing. Other part is managing that. It's not always the easiest thing. “Obviously always going to be rumors flying, but as long as I'm president of the player council it's always going to stay behind closed doors what exactly has been talked about. We're on the right track for many things. Obviously we try to solve it the best way we can for all parties involved on all issues really.” Tennis Australia said Monday it was confident players would not boycott the event over a prize money disagreement, but it was taking the threat seriously. “We are working on a compensation plan for the 2013 event and are keen to ensure it addresses a lot of the issues players have been raising with us in our ongoing discussions,” Australian Open Director Craig Tiley said in a statement. — Agencies
