BEIJING: Novak Djokovic continued his 100 per cent record at the China Open here on Wednesday as he overcame late resistance from Vasek Pospisil, while Maria Sharapova also won but Caroline Wozniacki crashed out.

The number one seed in Beijing was playing at his dominating best in the first set, breaking serve in the third and final games as he appeared in control.

But the Serb lost his trademark composure midway through the second set, screaming to himself in anger as he failed to capitalise on a break point in the fourth game.

Canadian Pospisil was in the ascendency three games later, drawing level at 40-40 with a brilliant cross-court shot which left the world number one flat-footed.

The 41st ranked player in the world then went on to force break-point and took the game following an incredible 26-shot rally. But his valiant fightback was in vain when a clearly relieved Djokovic won the next game, punching the air with delight and screaming as he made it 5-5.

Djokovic then took the next two games as he closed in on victory, and moments later was dancing to the applause of the crowd as a dejected Pospisil made his way to the court exit. Djokovic won 6-3, 7-5.

In the women’s competition, fourth seed Sharapova got off to a flying start in her match, racing to a 5-0 lead over Carla Suarez Navarro. The Spaniard was a match for the world number four in the second set, but Sharapova was dominant at the tie-break, finishing the match 6-1, 7-6 (7-3).

World number three Kvitova opened her campaign to win a second consecutive event in China in commanding style.

The Czech player defeated home-crowd favourite Peng Shuai 6-4, 6-2 in her first match since her victory at the Wuhan Open last Saturday, advancing in Beijing with the same confidence she showed at the earlier tournament.

Kvitova will now meet 16th seed Venus Williams for a tricky third-round match.

The third seed in Beijing has enjoyed a return to consistency in China after a poor run in the North American swing.

With her victory in Wuhan, the 24-year-old Kvitova confirmed her place at the WTA Finals in Singapore, the end-of-season finale involving the world’s top eight women players.

World number eight Caroline Wozniacki was hoping to confirm her place at the tournament with a deep run in Beijing, but crashed out in her first match at the hands of Samantha Stosur.

Stosur, the world number 21, was the more composed as the two players battled in a tense second-set tie break, saving five set points against her Danish opponent as she wrapped up her 6-4, 7-6 (11-9) victory.

Alize Cornet of France eased past American Lauren Davis 6-2, 6-1 in the day’s only other women’s match in Beijing, where much of the programme was affected by rain.

NISHIKORI OFF TO FINE START

TOKYO: Kei Nishikori thrilled his home fans as the US Open finalist posted a 6-3, 6-4 opening victory over Ivan Dodig to reach the second round of the Japan Open here on Wednesday.

The fourth-seeded Nishikori could do no wrong at the Ariake Colosseum, where the roof was closed due to intermittent rain after two days of sunshine in the capital.

Nishikori next faces Donald Young after beating the American in both of their previous ATP matches. He beat Dodig for the second time this season after a win in Madrid.

Wednesday’s victory took Nishikori’s 2014 record to 45 wins and 10 defeats.

Nishikori was out-aced 6-2 by the 61st-ranked Croatian, who saved two match points in the penultimate game.

Nishikori took the opening set in 38 minutes thanks to a break for 5-3 as he took the early lead. The Japanese player went down a break, 1-3 in the second set, but levelled again with a break back in the fifth game.

The Asian then tacked on an insurance break for 4-3 and closed out victory three games later on his third match point as he wrong-footed Dodig to end the afternoon. France’s Gilles Simon came from a set and a break down to ov­er­haul Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller 4-6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-3.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd , 2014