Same failure, different year for Kerber at Roland Garros

Angelique Kerber bowed out with a 6-2 6-4 defeat for her third first-round loss in a row on the Paris dirt.

Former world number one Angelique Kerber's poor record at the French Open got no help on Sunday when the German was knocked out in the first round by Ukrainian qualifier Anhelina Kalinina.

Germany's Angelique Kerber in action during her second-round match against Romania's Simona Halep (REUTERS)

In an indication that the 26th seed, who has never made it past the quarter-finals here despite winning the other three Grand Slams once each, is not a top name on clay, Kerber was scheduled to play on the outside court 14.

She bowed out with a 6-2 6-4 defeat for her third first-round loss in a row on the Paris dirt.

"She started well and had nothing to lose, while it took me too long to get into the contest," Kerber said afterwards.

In her last six tries, she has failed to make it past the opening round on five occasions.

Kerber is now eager to play on a surface on which she fares better.

"I will try to learn from the match now because I played good the last few weeks and I had good matches," she said.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.