WUHAN: Gabrine Muguruza got off to a winning start at the Wuhan Open. Jelena Ostapenko didn’t.

Spaniard Muguruza defeated Alison Van Uytvanck 6-4, 6-0 on Monday in the first round of the tournament, avenging a second-round loss to the Belgian at Wimbledon.

Muguruza, seeded 14, will next face Swiss qualifier Viktorija Golubic, who defeated Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.

Ostapenko, who followed Muguruza as French Open champion in 2017, was beaten by Australia’s Daria Gavrilova 6-2, 6-4.

Gavrilova, who won for only the second time in four appearances at the Wuhan Open, broke 10th seed Ostapneko’s serve five times. World number 33 Gavrilova next faces Czech Barbora Strycova, who beat Alize Cornet 6-3, 6-2.

Nine of the world’s top 10 are in action at the Wuhan Open as the 2018 WTA season enters its final stretch and the frenzy for ranking points intensifies. In addition to $500,000 in prize money, the winner will also lock down 900 points.

In other matches on Monday, Briton Johanna Konta’s patchy form continued as she fell 7-5, 6-4 to last year’s finalist Ashleigh Barty.

The 18th-ranked Madison Keys of the United States defeated China’s Wang Yafan while other winners included Aryna Sabalenka, Aleksandra Krunic, Dominika Cibulkova and Wang Xiyu.

American Coco Vandeweghe was forced to retire from her match with Donna Vekic after injuring her right ankle while trailing 6-4, 3-6, 2-1. Croatia’s Vekic faces Anett Kontaveit next.

Estonian Kontaveit recovered from a set and a break down to beat ninth seed Sloane Stephens 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 on Sunday.

Russian 13th seed Daria Kasatkina, the Chinese duo of Zheng Saisai and Zhang Shuai, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Julia Goerges, Monica Puig, Katerina Siniakova and Aliaksandra Sasnovich also advanced to the second round on the opening day.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2018