China Open: 3 seeded players knocked out, while Gauff and Pegula advance to Final 16
Aryna Sabalenka survived in straight sets 7-5, 7-6 saving 10 break points, while Coco Gauff outlasted Petra Martić 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 in the second round in Beijing.
A chaotic schedule that had matches from the Round of 64 and Round of 32 playing on the same day finally settles to consistency after round two ends.
World No. 2 Iga Swiatek took to the court against Varvara Gracheva in round two and advances 6-4, 6-1 to meet fellow Pole Magda Linette for the first time. Linette defeated 14th seed Victoria Azarenka in round one and played only four games in round two before Jennifer Brady retired.
Jessica Pegula comfortably gets by Anna Blinkova 6-7, 6-2, 6-1. The Tokyo Open finalist found her footing after dropping the first set, earning 19 break point opportunities and is looking to earn her second 1000 tournament of the season. Maria Sakkari, also benefitting from a performance similar to Pegula, won her eighth match of her previous nine with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Linda Fruhvirtova.
Sabalenka had a tough match against qualifier Katie Boulter, advancing into the Round of 16 7-5, 7-6. Boulter had opportunities to defeat top seed Sabalenka, but couldn’t convert the set points on her serve. The world number one took advantage of Boulter’s inability to close out both sets, where she picked up two of the three break points won against the British qualifier.
Gauff played a long three set duel against Martić, defeating the Croatian after three hours and one minute. World No. 3 Gauff survived her forehand unforced errors that gifted Martić an opprotunity to win the match while up 5-4. Since adding Brad Gilbert to her coaching staff, the American has lost only one match and praises her mental toughness for her performances.
The five seed at the China Open, Elena Rybakina, cruised into the third round at Beijing after a dominating performance against Tatjana Maria 7-5, 6-0. Rybkina joins the four other top five players on the WTA Tour into the Round of 16.
Petra Kvitová, seeded 12, was defeated 6-4, 5-7 by Liudmila Samsonova – highlighting a handful of upsets in Beijing. Samsonova is making her debut at the China Open, hoping to make this tournament one to remember as she looks for her fifth career singles title.
Daria Kasatkina and Ons Jabeur followed Kvitová as seeded seats knocked out in the second round. Kasatkina, seeded 11, fell to Wang Xinyu 6-4, 6-2 and No. 8 Jabeur, seeded seven in Beijing, was upset by world No. 32 Marta Kostyuk 7-6, 6-1.
After rain had suspended a few matches, Lesia Tsurenko was handed a double bagel by Veronikia Kudermetova after winning the first set. Kudermetova won 12 straight games and will play Gauff after winning 3-6, 6-0, 6-0.
Jelena Ostapenko was handed a spot in the last 16 in a walkover from Linda Nosková. Ostapenko will play Pegula in the third round and trails the head to head 1-3 to the American.
