Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Wuhan: Thirteenth seed Andrea Petkovic became the first seed to bow out of Wuhan Open on Sunday as the German lost to Britain’s qualifier Johanna Konta 6-3, 7-5 in the first round.
Konta’s best result so far comes from this year’s US Open, where she reached the fourth round, reports Xinhua.
Twice Grand Slam winner Svetlana Kuznetsova and former US Open champion Samantha Stosur failed to get through the opening round as well.
Russia’s Kuznetsova, the winner of 2009 French Open and 2004 US Open, lost the lop-sided match 0-6, 1-6 to her compatriot Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Stosur of Australia fared no better, losing 2-6, 1-6 defeat to Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic-Baroni.
12th-seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine beat wild card player Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 6-4, 6-4. Twice Australia Open winner Victoria Azarenka of Belarus held off America’s qualifier Lauren Davis 6-2, 7-6 (4).
Two wild card holders from China suffered early exits, leaving no player from the host country remaining.
Zhang Saisai lost to America’s Varvara Lepchenko 4-6, 0-6. Romania’s Monica Niculescu eased past the other Chinese Liu Fangzhou 6-1, 6-1.
German qualifier Julia Goerges dismantled France’s Alize Cornet 6-3, 6-3. Other players advancing into the second round include Daria Gavrilova of Germany, Coco Vandeweghe of America and Barbora Strycova from the Czech Republic.
