CAROLINE WOZNIACKI, Angelique Kerber and Anastasija Sevastova all lost to unseeded opponents in the first round of the Wuhan Open on Monday. Two-time champion Petra Kvitova avoided an upset, though, beating Polona Hercog 7-6 (6), 6-3 in a second-round match in Wuhan, capital of Central China’s Hubei Province. The 13th-seeded Wozniacki lost to Hsieh Su-wei of Chinese Taipei 6-7 (2), 1-6, 2-6. Hsieh trailed 1-5 in the first set and attributed her slow start to having just arrived from another tournament in Japan. “The first set was not easy, because I just came from Osaka,” Hsieh said. “When I came on the court ... I was a little bit lost, and she was playing good as well. I asked my coach to come on the court and I said, ‘OK, I don’t feel anything. I feel weird.’ And he said, ‘It’s OK, just try to play,’ and I did. I tried to keep playing and after a couple of games, it was going better and better.” Hsieh broke Wozniacki’s serve six times and saved eight of 10 break points. Wozniacki is 16-14 on the year. Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig defeated the 11th-seeded Kerber 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-1 in almost three hours. After failing to convert two match points and dropping the second set, Puig regained her form in the third to oust the three-time Grand Slam winner. Puig now has a 3-3 lifetime record against Germany’s Kerber, including a win in the final of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. “We’ve had so many great matches in the past,” Puig said. “I have a lot of respect for her. I know it’s not over until you go and shake her hand.” American Christina McHale ousted the 14th-seeded Sevastova of Latvia 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the round of 32 while American youngster Amanda Anisimova defeated Guangzhou runner-up Sam Stosur of Australia 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 . It was a good day for lucky losers as Tunisian Ons Jabeur, who took Victoria Azarenka’s place after the Belarusian withdrew with a shoulder injury, upset No. 16 seed Donna Vekic of Croatia 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson replaced American Madison Keys — who has a left foot problem — in the draw and made the second round when her opponent Camila Giorgi of Italy retired after the first set of their encounter.(SD-Agencies) Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark hits a return during the women’s singles first round match between Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark and Hsieh Su-wei of Chinese Taipei in Wuhan on Monday.Xinhua Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark hits a return during the women’s singles first round match between Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark and Hsieh Su-wei of Chinese Taipei in Wuhan on Monday.Xinhua Open CAROLINE WOZNIACKI, Angelique Kerber and Anastasija Sevastova all lost to unseeded opponents in the first round of the Wuhan Open on Monday. Two-time champion Petra Kvitova avoided an upset, though, beating Polona Hercog 7-6 (6), 6-3 in a second-round match in Wuhan, capital of Central China’s Hubei Province. The 13th-seeded Wozniacki lost to Hsieh Su-wei of Chinese Taipei 6-7 (2), 1-6, 2-6. Hsieh trailed 1-5 in the first set and attributed her slow start to having just arrived from another tournament in Japan. “The first set was not easy, because I just came from Osaka,” Hsieh said. “When I came on the court ... I was a little bit lost, and she was playing good as well. I asked my coach to come on the court and I said, ‘OK, I don’t feel anything. I feel weird.’ And he said, ‘It’s OK, just try to play,’ and I did. I tried to keep playing and after a couple of games, it was going better and better.” Hsieh broke Wozniacki’s serve six times and saved eight of 10 break points. Wozniacki is 16-14 on the year. Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig defeated the 11th-seeded Kerber 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-1 in almost three hours. After failing to convert two match points and dropping the second set, Puig regained her form in the third to oust the three-time Grand Slam winner. Puig now has a 3-3 lifetime record against Germany’s Kerber, including a win in the final of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. “We’ve had so many great matches in the past,” Puig said. “I have a lot of respect for her. I know it’s not over until you go and shake her hand.” American Christina McHale ousted the 14th-seeded Sevastova of Latvia 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the round of 32 while American youngster Amanda Anisimova defeated Guangzhou runner-up Sam Stosur of Australia 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 . It was a good day for lucky losers as Tunisian Ons Jabeur, who took Victoria Azarenka’s place after the Belarusian withdrew with a shoulder injury, upset No. 16 seed Donna Vekic of Croatia 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson replaced American Madison Keys — who has a left foot problem — in the draw and made the second round when her opponent Camila Giorgi of Italy retired after the first set of their encounter.(SD-Agencies) |