Australian Open Day One: Maria Kirilenko Shocks No. 14 Maria Sharapova

World No. 14 Maria Sharapova became the first women's seed to crash out of the 2010 Australian Open, losing in three sets to compatriot Maria Kirilenko on Day One in Melbourne.

Kirilenko beat her fellow Russian 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-4 in three hours and 22 minutes in Rod Laver Arena, winning a battle of attrition that saw a combined 118 unforced errors and 10 breaks of serve from two of tennis' glamour girls.

You may recall I said a few days ago that this would be the best first round match of the women's tournament.

Sharapova, the 2008 champion down under, lacked any kind of consistency throughout in her all or nothing approach, hitting 77 errors, 11 double faults, and 45 winners and struggling to win points on her second serve.

It was not all doom and gloom for the seeds, though, on a rain-interrupted opening afternoon. There were victories for second-seeded Dinara Safina, No. 3 Svetlana Kuznetsova, and No. 5 Elena Dementieva.

World No. 15 Belgian Kim Clijsters advanced to the second round along with unseeded floater Justine Henin, and there were victories for 12th-ranked Italian Flavia Pennetta, No. 24 Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, and No. 30 Kateryna Bondarenko.

Unseeded Yanina Wickmayer, the world's No. 16 forced to enter the tournament through qualifying, had to endure six rain delays before winning 10-8 in the third set to see off Romanian Alexandra Dulgheru, and Jelena Dokic's hopes of a dream return to Melbourne were shot down by Alisa Kleybanova 6-1, 7-5.

Dinara Safina was not at the top of her game against Magdalena Rybarikova, but as with many first round matches, seeds can slowly work their way into the tournament. Safina was no exception, progressing 6-4, 6-4.

Safina won the first set despite 21 unforced errors, five double faults, and just three of 13 points won on her second serve. The second set was more of the same, both in form and result—18 more unforced errors, four more double faults, and another 6-4 victory.

The No. 2 won in one hour and 29 minutes and will face either Barbora Zahlavova Strycova or Regina Kulikova on Wednesday.

Svetlana Kuznetsova beat Aussie Anastasia Rodionova 6-1, 6-2. She dropped just three point on her first serve, hit eight aces, and made 23 winners to just 10 unforced errors. Her dominance on serve was a joy to watch, and she will be rewarded with a second round encounter with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Elena Dementieva was equally as impressive against Vera Dushevina. The champion in Sydney last week batted Dushevina's second serve and showed great coverage against her fellow Russian, winning 6-2, 6-1 in 67 minutes having faced just one break point.

Dementieva will battle Justine Henin in undoubtedly one of the most anticipated second round matches after Henin needed just one hour and 13 minutes to defeat fellow Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 6-4, 6-3. Her serving was not fantastic, but she looked comfortable from the baseline as well as when she ventured to the net.

She will need to improve on her 51 percent first serve percentage against Dementieva, although it's hard to see who will stop the Russian the way she has been playing over the last week.

Kim Clijsters too showed no signs of rust after resting last week after hoisting the trophy in Brisbane to start 2010, whipping past Canadian qualifier Valerie Tetreault 6-0, 6-4 in just 59 minutes, never facing a single break point.

Elsewhere, world No. 35 Jie Zheng erased a 6-0 first set deficit to see off fellow Chinawoman Shuai Peng in three sets 0-6, 6-1, 6-2, and Austrian Yvonne Meusburger beat Timea Bacsinsky 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova won in straight sets over Anastasija Sevastova 6-2, 6-4 and Britain's Elena Baltacha beat Pauline Parmentier 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.

Top seed Serena Williams will start the defense of her championship underway on Tuesday against Urszula Radwanska, and Aussie favourites Sam Stosur and Alicia Molik will also both be in action in Rod Laver Arena.

Fore my full preview of the Australian Open, click here, or read my opinions on the top 16 seeds here. To see the most dangerous non-seeded women in the tournament, visit my article here.