Xiyu Wang of China upset second-seeded Croatian Petra Martic on Tuesday, winning 6-3, 6-4 in 88 minutes in the opening round of the GSB Thailand Open in Hua Hin.
FILE PHOTO: Tennis – Australian Open – Second Round – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia – January 22, 2020 – Croatia’s Petra Martic reacts during the match against Germany’s Julia Goerges. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Wang, ranked 134th in the world, broke Martic (ranked 15th) once in each set, converting two of only three opportunities in the match. She saved all six break points she faced on her own serve, overcoming four double faults in victory. Martic double-faulted seven times.
Also falling among seeded players was No. 6 Yafan Wang of China, who was beaten 6-1, 1-6, 7-6 (5) by Romania’s Patricia Maria Tig.
Third-seeded Qiang Wang of China had no such trouble, cruising 6-1, 6-1 over countrywoman Xinyun Han in just 59 minutes. Seventh-seeded Lin Zhu of China also advanced, dispatching Russia’s Varvara Flink 6-4, 6-2.
St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy
Seventh-seeded Croatian Donna Vekic made quick work of American Kristie Ahn, cruising to a 6-4, 6-1 victory in 70 minutes in the opening round in Russia.
Vekic had five aces and no double faults while converting five of nine opportunities to break Ahn’s serve.
The other seed in action, No. 5 Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic, squandered an early advantage, losing 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic. Both players struggled with their serves, combining for nine double faults and 11 breaks of service.
Also moving on were Russians Ekaterina Alexandrova, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Veronika Kudermetova, Frenchwomen Fiona Ferro and Oceane Dodin, and Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck. Kuznetsova will face top-seeded Belinda Bencic of Switzerland in the Round of 16.
—Field Level Media