Top-seeded Zhang Shuai of China retired due to illness while trailing compatriot Zhu Lin 6-0, 1-0 in the second round of the Jiangxi Open on Thursday in Nanchang, China.
Zhu reached the quarterfinals after converting four of her five break chances. She never faced a break point during the abbreviated 39-minute contest.
China’s Peng Shuai was also an upset winner, outlasting No. 8 seed Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic with a 6-3, 0-6, 6-4 victory. Serbian Nina Stojanovic defeated Australia’s Samantha Stosur, and No. 4 seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan beat China’s Xinyu Wang 7-6 (4), 6-2.
Zhengzhou Open
No. 1 seed Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic was leading 6-3, 2-5 when heavy rain in Zhengzhou, China, interrupted her tight second-round match against Slovenia’s Polona Hercog.
Hercog held a slight edge in total points (53-47) in the match, which will resume Friday. After the pair exchanged five service breaks in the first set, Hercog took a 4-2 lead with the first break of the second set.
The weather also delayed the start of the match between No. 3 seed Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands and Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic.
Hana-cupid Japan Women’s Open
No. 3 seed Alison Van Uytvanck reached the quarterfinals in Hiroshima with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory over fellow Belgian Kristen Flipkens in one hour, 55 minutes.
Van Uytanck delivered the crucial break in the sixth game of the decider and then dropped only two points on her last two service games to close out the match.
Japan’s Misaki Doi also advanced to the final eight with a 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 win against Australia’s Zoe Hives.
–Field Level Media
