MELBOURNE - Defending champion Michaella Krajicek lost her grip on the Hobart International title when France's Severine Bremond beat her 3-6 6-1 6-0 in the opening round on Monday.

Bremond did not let a medical time out for a leg injury distract her and stunned Krajicek with her fierce groundstrokes in the last two sets.

"I strained my leg in practice yesterday," Bremond said.

"I wasn't able to put any pressure on it until I had it bandaged."

India's Sania Mirza also ignored the form book when she upended fourth-seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko 6-4 6-4.

Serena Williams will begin her preparations for next week's Australian Open when she makes a comeback from a four-month injury layoff against Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson.