Wuhan (China) (AFP) – Karolina Pliskova triumphed over China’s second-ranked player Zhang Shuai in the Wuhan Open second round on Tuesday after a tense three-set battle.
The 25-year-old Czech overpowered Zhang 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in just over two hours, breaking an unlucky streak for the competition’s top seeds that saw many exit the Chinese tournament in the first two days.
Pliskova, seeded three, has never lost a match against Zhang and once again showed she had the measure of her Chinese opponent, who had been on a high after winning the Guangzhou Open last week.
She will now face another home crowd favourite, Wang Qiang, the first ever Chinese player to reach the third round at Wuhan.
Elsewhere, Radwanska, seeded nine, defeated German Julia Goerges 7-5, 7-5.
Johanna Konta, Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys and Petra Kvitova were among the top seeds to exit the tournament on Monday.
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