Madrid, Spain, 7 May 2013 | AFP/tennis.com.au

Sam Stosur has been eliminated from the Mutua Madrid Open in the first round on Monday, losing 7-6(7) 6-2 to Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro.

Seeded ninth, the 2011 US Open champion held her own in the first set against a player who lost in the final of the Portugal Open on Saturday, recovering from 1-3, 15-40 down to lead 4-3.

From there the players could barely be separated, but when Suarez Navarro snatched a tense tiebreak and then broke serve in the sixth game of the second to lead 4-2, it was curtains for the Australian.

Stosur joined fifth seeded Li Na of China and 10th seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark on the sidelines.

Meanwhile on the men’s side, Stosur’s compatriot Marinko Matosevic fell in a tight three-setter to Florian Mayer.

The Victorian, a lucky loser entry into the main draw, battled for two hours and 22 minutes before going down 6-2 6-7(3) 6-4 to the 26th-ranked player from Germany.