Kiwis out in Classic qualifying 

Experience counted for a lot in the first round of qualifying at the ASB Classic as all four Kiwis fell by the wayside.

All of the New Zealanders put in good performances in at least one set, or in the case of 16-year-old Kairangi Vano three sets, but a lack of experience in big-time tennis was the problem.

The two early matches featuring Kiwis showed that there is potential but a lack of years and a lack of big-time tournament play was there downfall.

National 18's champion, Vano, took her powerful game to her Japanese opponent, Ryoko Fuda but eventually was beaten 6-1 4-6 6-1.

After the game Vano was wishing she could play the match again and probably thinking she could win this time after displaying more power than her opponent who is ranked at 163 in the world. Vano has no world ranking.

Fifteen-year-old Sacha Jones gave it everything in the first set of her match against Taipei's Su-wei Hsieh and led by 5-4 after numerous breaks of serve.

However the experienced of the 138th ranked Hsieh counted in the end as Jones who is ranked at 776 made unforced errors to eventually go down 7-5 6-1 in windy conditions. Hsieh was able to work her way into the points and move Jones around the young Kiwi whose elder brother, GD plays in the New Zealand Davis Cup team became frustrated but will no doubt learn plenty from the match.

Jones who became the youngest New Zealand woman ever to gain a WTA singles ranking will now play the Australian Open junior tournament and then the US$10,000 senior Futures events at Taupo and Wellington.

Auckland 17-year-old Shona Lee put in a good performance to challenge former top-50 Claudine Schaul of Luxembourg but went down 6-1 7-5 while Tracey O'Connor lost to Austria's Yvonne Meusburger 6-4 6-1.

In other matches former finalist Ashley Harkleroad had a struggle at first before winning her match over Hungarian Agnes Szavay 6-2 7-5 while 2000 Classic winner Anne Kremer had a solid victory over second seed Severine Bremond of France.

Qualifying results so far

(1)Jelena Kostanic(CRO) bt Barbora Strycova(CZE)6-1 6-3, Shanay Perry(USA) bt (7)Meilen Tu(USA)7-6(2) 6-1, Su-Wei Hsieh(TPE) bt (WC)Sacha Jones(NZL)7-5 6-1, (6)Ashley Harkleroad(USA)bt Agnes Szavay(HUN) 6-2 7-5 Tzipora Obziler(ISR) bt(4)Galina Voskoboeva(RUS)6-1 6-2 Ryoko Fuda(JPN) bt (WC)Kairangi Vano(NZL)6-1 4-6 6-1, Anne Kremer(LUX) bt (2)Severine Bremond(FRA) v Mervana Jugic-Salkic(BIH) bt (5)Martina Muller(GER)7-5 6-4 Natalie

Grandin(RSA) bt Kristina Barrois(GER)6-3 7-5 Claudine Schaul(LUX) bt (WC)Shona Lee(NZL) 6-1 7-5 Mervana Jugic-Salkic(BIH) bt (5)Martina Muller(GER) 7-5 6-4 Yvonne Meusburger(AUT) bt (WC)Tracey O'Connor(NZL)6-4 6-1 Abigail Spears(USA) bt Yarislava Shvedova(RUS) 6-1 3-6 6-4 Aleksandra Wozniak(CAN) bt Clarisa Fernandez(ARG) 7-6(2) 3-6 7-6(7)