WTA Spherical-up | Yuan Yue halts Halep in Hong Kong, whereas Bouzkova kicks off in Jiangxi

Three tour-level occasions happen this week, with WTA 250s in Hong Kong and Jiujiang in China, whereas there’s additionally a WTA 125 in Santa Cruz, Bolivia…

Was not unhealthy in any respect, however the opponent was enjoying rather well, and he or she had confidence. I might say, I am not pleased with the best way I performed, nevertheless it’s significantly better than earlier matches, so I am simply taking the positives. Physique is drained, nevertheless it’s regular as a result of I had such an extended break. It is higher than final time, so I take it as a optimistic. Simona Halep

Hong Kong | WTA 250 Hong Kong Tennis Open

Hong Kong has one of many stronger attracts for a WTA 250 match this season, with a discipline headed by Russian Diana Shnaider because the No 1 seed, and Britain’s Katie Boulter at No 2.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep additionally returns, the Romanian having performed simply 2 occasions after her come-back from suspension in March this 12 months after being banned for taking a prohibited substance.

The 2019 Wimbledon champion, although, wild-carded into the draw, fell within the 1st-round to No 6 seed Yuan Yue, who got here from 0-3 down within the second set to win, 6-3 6-3, in 1 hour and 22 minutes on Monday.

Yuan fired 22 winners and dedicated solely 12 unforced errors as she overpowered the 33-year-old former World No 1, rattling off the final 6 video games in a row.

In her on-court interview afterwards, she admitted that she had felt nervous forward of the match, however reminded herself that she needed to ‘hold going to play to win this’.

Halep’s rust confirmed in 19 unforced errors, which outweighed her 17 winners.

“Was not unhealthy in any respect, however the opponent was enjoying rather well, and he or she had confidence,” Halep stated later. “I might say, I’m not pleased with the best way I performed, nevertheless it’s significantly better than earlier matches, so I’m simply taking the positives.

“Physique is drained, nevertheless it’s regular as a result of I had such an extended break. It’s higher than final time, so I take it as a optimistic.”

Yuan awaits the winner of the match between Japan’s Nao Hibino and fortunate loser Lu Jia-Jing from China, who replaces Aliaksandra Sasnovich after the Belarusian pulled out because of sickness.

Former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin may very well be an opponent for Yuan within the quarter-final.

Kenin, a former World No 4, reached the ultimate in Tokyo final week after producing a few of her greatest tennis this 12 months.

Prime seed Shnaider opens towards Japanese qualifier Kyoka Okamura, and though the 20-year-old is not going to take any match with no consideration, she has a superb draw on paper on the WTA 250 match.

Leylah Fernandez, who has crushed the Russian twice on exhausting courts this 12 months, together with earlier this month on the Wuhan Open, is a attainable semi-final hurdle.

Fernandez is the defending champion in Hong Kong, after successful an exhilarating ultimate towards Czech Katerina Siniakova right here final 12 months, and the Canadian begins her title defence towards Britain’s Heather Watson, with Romania’s Ana Bogdan or Kimberly Birrell from Australia in spherical 2 if she progresses.

Katie Boulter is the highest-ranked participant within the backside half of the draw, and this 12 months’s San Diego Open and Nottingham Open champion, who misplaced to Kenin in Tokyo within the semi-final final week, is drawn to play towards Japan’s Aoi Ito on Tuesday.

The British No 1 might then meet China’s Wang Xiyu, who got here from 1-3 down within the second set to defeat American qualifier Hina Inoue, 6-3 7-6(2), whereas gifted Frenchwoman Varvara Gracheva might meet Boulter within the quarter-final.

In the meantime, in Day 1 outcomes, Jessika Ponchet from France, got here from a set and 2-4 all the way down to upset No 4 seed Wang Xinyu from China, 4-6 7-5 6-2, to publish her 2nd profession Prime 50 win.

19-year previous qualifier Shi Han, additionally from China, gained her second tour-level match one week after successful her first in Guangzhou, defeating Margarita Gasparyan, 6-4 6-2, whereas, for second 12 months working, Priscilla Hon from Australia defeated native wild-card Eudice Chong, 6-3 6-4.

WTAtennis.com

Jiangxi | WTA Jiangxi Open

No 1 seed Marie Bouzkova from the Czech Republic got here from an early break down in each units to defeat Alexandra Eala from the Philippines, for the second time in two conferences, 7-5 7-6(4), to advance to the Jiangxi Open 2nd spherical.

Bouzkova held her first 3 match factors at 5-3 within the second set, however finally transformed her fifth within the tiebreak.

No 5 seed Kamilla Rakhimova from Russia posted a 6-1 4-6 7-5 come-back win over former Prime 20 participant Petra Martic from Croatia, 6-1 4-6 7-5.

Martic led 5-1 within the third set, however Rakhimova reeled off the subsequent 6 video games and prevailed with out ever going through match level.

Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, the No 4 seed, defeated Kazah Zarina Diyas, 6-4 6-2, whereas 19-year-old Russian, Elena Pridankina, earned the primary WTA main-draw win of her profession with a 6-3 7-6(6) win over Germany’s Ella Seidel.

Pridankina, ranked a career-high No 179, saved 3 set factors within the second set.

No 6 seed Arantxa Rus from the Netherlands edged previous Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva, 6-4 6-7(2) 6-3, and subsequent will face Czech Linda Fruhvirtova, after the previous Prime 50 participant ended a 9-match shedding streak with a 6-0 7-5 win over Kathinka Von Deichmann from Lichtenstein.

In different motion on Day 1, Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch, enjoying the opening match on Monday, dispatched qualifier Priska Nugroho from Indonesia, 6-0 6-1, in 65 minutes.