Samantha Stosur’s poor form on Australian soil continued after she lost to American Varvara Lepchenko in the opening round of the Brisbane International.

Stosur won the first set on Pat Rafter Arena but was subsequently overpowered by Lepchenko, who triumphed 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.

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The 2011 US Open champion added another unwelcome statistic to her horror home record after she sensationally let a 5-1 lead in the third set slip when she lost six straight games.

She exploded out of the blocks before unforced errors all but handed the second set to the world number 35, prompting the Queenslander to call for her coach Simon Rea.

Whatever Rea said seemed to work as the 22nd-ranked Stosur jumped to a commanding lead in the final set, only to be broken twice and prompting another courtside chat with her mentor.

But there was no stopping Lepchenko, who emerged victorious in the two-and-a-half hour epic, sealing one of the great comeback wins.

Lepchenko will meet either Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova or Madison Keys in the second round.

In four previous outings Stosur has never moved past the second round at the Brisbane International.

Her Australian Open record is dismal, with her best finish being the fourth round in 2006 and 2010.

Stosur opted to brush Perth’s round-robin Hopman Cup in order to experience the cut-throat nature of the Brisbane International for the first time in three years to prepare for another Australian Open assault in Melbourne.

Meanwhile, in other first-round matches in Brisbane, “Aussie” Ajla Tomljanovic shocked sixth seed and former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic 7-6 (8-6) 6-0.

The 21-year-old, who was born in Croatia but resides in Brisbane, was playing her first “home” tournament since moving to the Queensland capital in November.

World No. 62 Tomljanovic will fly the Croatian flag at Women’s Tennis Association events until she officially gains Australian citizenship.

However, the ex-world No.4 junior has been recognised as Australian at grand slams under world body ITF since last August’s US Open after gaining residency.

She will take on Elina Svitolina in the second round after the Ukrainian dispatched Slovakian Magdalena Rybarikova 6-0 6-2.

Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi held out fifth-seeded German Andrea Petkovic 6-4 5-7 6-4 in a two-and-a-half hour epic at Pat Rafter Arena.

However, Spanish seventh seed Carla Suarez Navarro bucked the trend when she downed Bulgaria’s Tsvetana Pironkova 3-6 6-2 6-1.

– with ABC