WUHAN: Slovak Dominika Cibulkova continued her mid-season resurgence at the Wuhan Open, dispatching World No.1 Simona Halep, 6-0, 7-5 to reach the third round on Tuesday.

Halep injured her back in a pre-tournament practice session, and although the reigning French Open champion got within a game of leveling the match, Cibulkova proved too strong for the top seed and advanced after one hour and 24 minutes on court.

Cibilkova will take on Daria Kasatkina next after the 13th-seeded Russian beat Xiy Wang from China 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (10-8).

It was the latest upset on a shock-filled day at the tournament with China’s Qiang Wang, Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka and Czech Katerina Siniakova all big winners.

Wang dismissed Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic, arriving in Wuhan on the back of winning the Pan Pacific Open last week, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 while Sabalenka ousted sixth-seeded Elina Svitolina 6-4, 2-6, 6-1.

Siniakova sent defending champion Caroline Garcia packing with a 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-4) win in a match that lasted just over three hours.

Life doesn’t get easier for Siniakova as she will take on two-time Grand Slam winner Garbine Muguruza in the third round after the Spaniard beat Viktorija Golubic 6-0, 6-1 earlier in the day.

Wang faces Daria Gavrilova for a place in the quarter-final after the Australian beat Barbora Strycova from the Czech Republic 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) while Sabalenka will now awaits American qualifier Sofia Kenin, who took out Julia Goerges.

There were no problems for second-ranked Caroline Wozniacki as the Dane defeated Swedish qualifier Rebecca Peterson 6-4, 6-1 to reach the third round.

She next faces Olympic gold medalist Monica Puig from Puerto Rico, who beat Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-2, 6-2.

Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber beat Madison Keys 6-0, 4-1 after the American retired due to a left knee injury. In the round-of-16, Kerber lined up Ashleigh Barty, last year’s finalist.

Two-time Wuhan Open winner Petra Kvitova cruised past Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia 6-3, 6-4.

Nine of the world’s top 10 are at China’s $2.7 million Wuhan Open. US Open winner Naomi Osaka withdrew with an illness after losing the Pan Pacific Open final on Sunday.

Six spots at the WTA Finals next month remain up for grabs with only Halep and Kerber securing their places so far.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2018