Playing her first match since Wimbledon - and her first under the guidance of new coach Nigel Sears - Ana lost 6-3, 7-5 to Japan's Ayumi Morita in 79 minutes. The 23-year-old served nine double faults and looked decidely rusty following a month-long break.
Ana could only manage to hold four of her eleven service games and won just 29 per cent of the points on second delivery. Morita, on the other hand, converted all seven of her break point opportunities and played a highly accomplished match.
Ana lost her opening service game and was chasing the match thereafter. She leveled at 3-3, but could not find any fluidity: she was re-broken in the following game.
Facing set point in the ninth game, Ana hit her third double fault of the match and gifted the set to the Japanese.
Though lacking rhythm, the 23-year-old wasn't missing by huge margins. She staged something of a turnaround in the second set, despite falling 3-1 behind: the seventh seed broke back and broke again to lead 4-3, but loose serving allowed Morita back in, and she took full advantage.
Ana will now head to San Diego, where she will compete in the Mercury Insurance Open.
