By Adrianna Outlaw | Sunday, September 27, 2015
Qualifier Johanna Konta beat 13th-seeded Andrea Petkovic for the second time in a month, setting up a Wuhan second-round match with Victoria Azarenka.
Photo credit: Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open
Johanna Konta continues to confound Top 20 opponents.
The British qualifier broke serve six times knocking 13th-seeded Andrea Petkovic out of the Wuhan Open, 6-4, 7-5.
It was the second time in a month Konta conquered Petkovic.
More: Radwanska Wins Second Tokyo Title
The 24-year-old Briton qualified for the US Open and toppled ninth-seeded Garbine Muguruza and the 18th-ranked Petkovic en route to the round of 16.
Konta will play two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka next.
Azarenka defeated American qualifier Lauren Davis, 6-2, 7-6 (4) on the strength of five service breaks.
Azarenka made her debut on the brand new 15,000-seater centre court in Wuhan on Sunday, which had been opened by special guest Li Na and 2014 champion Petra Kvitova earlier in the day.
“I think the structure is pretty incredible here, you know, what they've done with the facilities. It's really impressive,” said Azarenka. “I think it's a beautiful stadium. It feels really comfortable. I like it. I mean, it's great that they have invested and came up with such an amazing facility here.”
Ana Ivanovic, Maria Sharapova and US Open finalist Roberta Vinci are all in action on Monday.
Tokyo champion Agnieszka Radwanska will play Venus Williams, while Eugenie Bouchard takes on Tokyo runner-up Belinda Bencic.
Wuhan Open Results September 27
Singles - First Round
[12] E. Svitolina (UKR) d [WC] D. Hantuchova (SVK) 6-4, 6-4
[Q] J. Konta (GBR) d [13] A. Petkovic (GER) 6-4, 7-5
A. Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) d S. Kuznetsova (RUS) 6-0, 6-1
V. Azarenka (BLR) d [Q] L. Davis (USA) 6-2 7-6 (4)
[Q] J. Goerges (GER) d A. Cornet (FRA) 6-3, 6-3
M. Niculescu (ROU) d [WC] F. Liu (CHN) 6-1, 6-1
D. Gavrilova (RUS) d T. Pereira (BRA) 6-2, 7-6 (7)
V. Lepchenko (USA) d [WC] S. Zheng (CHN) 6-4, 6-0
M. Lucic-Baroni (CRO) d S. Stosur (AUS) 6-2, 6-1
C. Vandeweghe (USA) d L. Tsurenko (UKR) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
B. Strycova (CZE) d [Q] T. Babos (HUN) 7-6 (9), 6-2
ORDER OF PLAY - MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
A. Dulgheru (ROU) vs [9] A. Ivanovic (SRB)
Not Before 1:00 pm
J. Jankovic (SRB) vs [Q] H. Watson (GBR)
[16] S. Errani (ITA) vs C. Garcia (FRA)
Not Before 6:30 pm
B. Strycova (CZE) vs [2] [WC] M. Sharapova (RUS)
[10] A. Radwanska (POL) vs V. Williams (USA)