Australia's Nick Phipps (C) passes the ball from the scrum during the third rugby Bledisloe Cup Test between the New Zealand All Blacks and Australia at Eden Park in Auckland on October 22, 2016. / AFP / MICHAEL BRADLEY (Photo credit should read MICHAEL BRADLEY/AFP/Getty Images)

Sam Stosur has had the worst possible start to her preparations for the Australian Open, suffering a comprehensive, straight sets loss to No.27 ranked Russian, Anastasia Puvlyuchenkova at the Sydney International.

Stosur was knocked out in the opening round 6-3, 6-1 in little over an hour.

The defeat follows a first round loss to Spaniard Garbine Muguruza at the Brisbane International last week.

Stosur, the world No.21, has a week to prepare for her 15th Australian Open singles campaign, which kicks off next Monday.