MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) – Wimbledon champion Venus Williams crashed in the first round of the Australian Open on Monday, losing 2-6, 6-0, 9-7 to Tszvetana Pironkova.

It was only the third time in 34 Grand Slam tournaments that the five-time major winner has lost in the first round.

The 10th-seeded Williams sprayed 65 unforced errors, including 41 in the third set as she struggled to control her ground strokes in her first tour-level event since September.

Bulgaria’s Pironkova, ranked 94th, was broken when she served for the match in the 12th game of the third set. She saved two break points in her next service game and clinched it on her first match point on consecutive backhand errors from Williams.

Top-ranked Lindsay Davenport cruised to a 6-2, 6-1 win over Australian wild card entry Casey Dellacqua, ranked No. 180.

Davenport, seeking her fourth Grand Slam singles title and first since winning here in 2000, set up three match points with an ace and clinched it in 57 minutes with an overhead winner.

Davenport next faces Croatia’s Karolina Sprem, a 6-4, 6-2 winner over Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine.

No. 9 Elena Dementieva was the first seeded player ousted from the season’s first major. The 24-year-old Russian, a semifinalist at the last U.S. Open, lost 7-5, 6-2 to Germany’s Julia Schruff.

No. 24 Tatiana Golovin and No. 26 Ai Sugiyama followed her out.

Former Wimbledon semifinalist Jelena Dokic, who won a wild card tournament to gain entry to her first Australian Open since 2001, crumbled after thinking she’d won her first-round match in straight sets.

Dokic celebrated a forehand on match point in the 12th game of the second set, but it was called long.

Virginie Razzano rallied to win it 3-6 7-6 (6) 6-1.

Davenport spent all but seven weeks atop the rankings in 2005 and reached the finals here and at Wimbledon.

She has a new coach – David DiLucia – and a difficult draw at Melbourne Park, with 2004 U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova and French Open champion Justin Henin-Hardenne in her quarter.

“I feel like I’m ready for the challenges,” said the 29-year-old Davenport. “I feel like I have the ability to play well and hopefully repeat what happened last year, and go better.”

Davenport won 19 of her last 21 service points against 20-year-old Dellacqua, then told the center court crowd: “It’s great to be back.”

Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova, seeded 17th, overcame Japan’s Saori Obata 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 and No. 6 Nadia Petrova defeated Australia’s Sophie Ferguson 6-2, 6-1.

On the men’s side, eight-seeded Gaston Gaudio had a shorter-than-expected opener. The 2004 French Open champion was leading 6-2, 5-0 when Romania’s Razvan Sabau retired from their first-round match with an injured arm.

No. 13 Robby Ginepri only needed 1 hour, 19 minutes for a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over Austria’s Jurgen Melzer.

It was an easy start for Ginepri, who developed a reputation for going the distance in his last appearance at a major. The 23-year-old American reached the semifinals at the U.S. Open, where he became the first man in the Open era to play four five-set matches at one tournament.

“Winning in three is a much better start – it’s easier on the body,” said Ginepri.

Two Swedes went out on the opening morning. No. 17 Radek Stepanek of Czech Republic beat Bjorn Rehnquist 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 and Denis Gremelmayr of Germany defeated Jonas Bjorkman 3-6, 6-2, 6-0, 6-1.

Men’s No. 2 Andy Roddick opened later Monday against Michael Lammer, a 23-year-old qualifier from Switzerland.

After a shocking first-round exit at the U.S. Open, Roddick is not planning any further ahead than Monday night’s encounter with Lammer on Rod Laver Arena.

In other men’s matches, Masters Cup champion David Nalbandian was to face Danai Udomchoke of Thailand and Sydney International winner James Blake was to play Jose Acasuso of Argentina.

On the women’s side, defending champion Serena Williams was to open with China’s Li Na in the first night match on center court and Maria Sharapova, the 2004 Wimbledon champion, was to play Germany’s Sandra Kloesel.

Henin-Hardenne, the 2004 Australian Open winner and reigning French Open champion, went into her opening match against Marta Domachowska in form after winning the Sydney International on the weekend.

AP-ES-01-15-06 2355EST