Defending champion Johanna Konta  and  Venus  Williams  made  their  exit  from the  Sydney  International  Tennis  tournament   yesterday  in the  first  round  of  the  event.

Agnieska Radwanska, overpowered in 82 minutes by Konta in last year’s final, raced to a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Konta at the Olympic Tennis centre in one hour and 49 minutes.

Second seed and seven times  grand  slam  champion  Williams was beaten 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 by Germany’s Angelique Kerber in under two hours.

Radwanska, who was upset by American qualifier Sachia Vickery in the Auckland quarter-finals last week, will meet American qualifier Catherine Bellis in the second round, while Kerber faces Dominika Cibulkova in the quarter-finals.