Niculescu knocked out in Hobart
Romanians won three out of four first-round matches they contested at the Hobart International on Sunday, but the loser was third-seeded Monica Niculescu.
Anna Chakvetadze of Russia beat Niculescu 6-0, 6-4 in one of five first-round matches at the pre-Australian Open event.
The Romanian winners were Sorana Cirstea, who beat seventh-seeded Ksenia Pervak of Kazakhstan 6-2, 7-6 (6), Simona Halep, who defeated Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 and eighth-seeded Irina-Camelia Begu, who beat Britain's Elena Baltacha 6-2, 7-5.
Australian Anastasia Rodionova beat Greta Arn of Hungary 6-4, 7-5 in the only other match Sunday.