WELLINGTON, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Former world No. 1 Venus Williams lost in three sets to Poland's Magda Linette in her opening match at the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, on Tuesday.
Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, showed encouraging signs in her return to competition at the Women's Tennis Association 250 event, which runs from Jan. 2 to 17.
Linette, ranked No. 53 in the world, prevailed 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 to advance to the second round, where she will face Italy's Elisabetta Cocciaretto.
"I thought I could have made fewer mistakes, especially with such a powerful hitter, I need to be a bit more solid," Linette said.
Wildcard entrant Williams, ranked No. 582, said, "I think my opponent, she played amazing. Definitely deserved the win."
The 45-year-old, playing her first match since the U.S. Open in August, said her main focus at this stage was building match fitness and rhythm ahead of the Australian Open later this month.
The defeat added to a difficult start for some of the tournament's headline names after second-seeded American Emma Navarro made an early exit on Monday. ■