Maria Sharapova makes early exit at China Open
Twelfth seed Maria Sharapova has been defeated in the second round of the China Open in Beijing, losing in straight sets to world No. 63 Elena Vesnina.
After losing the first set in a tiebreak, Sharapova was broken early in the second. The world No. 21 then failed to secure the break-back in a hard-fought sixth game of the set before Vesnina secured another break of serve the next game and with it the chance to serve for the match.
Vesnina made no mistake about doing so, and secured the 7-6(3), 6-2 win against her Russian compatriot in one hour and 39 minutes.
It’s a second straight disappointingly early exit for Sharapova in the post-US Open tournaments and follows her first round loss (as defending champion) to Kimiko Date Krumm at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo last week.
Fresh from ousting 11th seed Marion Bartoli in her first round match, Ana Ivanovic began her second round clash against Olga Govortsova in fine form, racing to the first set without losing a game.
The former world No. 1, however, was pushed in the second as Govortsova took the early advantage. But once again, the often fragile Ivanovic refused to crumble under the pressure, holding her nerve to claim the 6-0, 7-5 victory over the world No. 48.
Meanwhile, Date Krumm has continued to trouble her much higher ranked – and younger – opponents, and this time it was seventh seed Elena Dementieva that the 40-year-old had in her sights.
With Date Krumm struggling with unforced errors, the Russian took the first set of the match but in the second the Japanese player broke Dementieva three times to level the match with some authority.
The beginning of the third, however, was dominated by last week’s Pan Pacific Open runner-up, who finally settled into her rhythm to take the first five games of the set. Never one to give up before the final point has been won, the evergreen Date Krumm then rallied to take the next three games.
Dementieva finally won the untidy match – which saw a total of 63 unforced errors; 34 of them produced by Date Krumm – 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 in one hour and 53 minutes. The world No. 9 will now play the unseeded Ivanovic for a place in the quarter-finals.
French Open champion Francesca Schiavone had a reasonably straightforward win against Polona Hercog 6-3, 6-3 in her second round match, while 15th seed Shahar Peer is also through to the third round after defeating veteran Patty Schnyder 6-4, 6-2.
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