Top seeded Agnieszka Radwanska defeated Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in just over an hour in the first round at the Shenzhen Open: 6-4, 6-3. Although the twenty-two year old Krunic is ranked 108, Radwanska did not take her opponent lightly. “It’s not going to be easy,” Radwanska said. “I’ve never played her, which is always a challenge. I saw a couple of her matches and she can play really great tennis, too. It’s not an easy one, for sure. “ The Pole, currently ranked 5, won 84% of her service points and saved all three of the breakpoints she faced while converting two of eight break opportunities. Radwanska holds 17 WTA career titles, including three titles last Fall – Tianjin, Tokyo, and the WTA Finals. Next up for Radwanska is wildcard Shuai Zhang of China who beat Russian Irina Khromacheva in straight sets: 6-3, 6-3. Radwanska has been victorious in both of their previous encounters.
Petra Kvitova, the number two seed, was forced to retire after taking the first set 6-2 from Saisai Zheng of China in their first round match. The Czech battled mononucleosis last year. She won three titles in 2015: Sydney, Madrid, and New Haven. Kvitova also was a finalist at the WTA Finals, losing to Radwanska.
Eugenie Bouchard bested Donna Vekic of Croatia in three sets in a match that lasted almost two hours: 6-4, 1-6, 7-5. The Canadian’s ranking has dropped to 49, as she has not competed since suffering a concussion at the U.S. Open. The nineteen-year-old Vekic is currently ranked 103, although she had been ranked as high as 62 (July 2013). Bouchard will face American qualifier Nicole Gibbs in the second round. (Gibbs dismissed fellow qualifier Tereza Smitkova of the Czech Republic: 6-0, 6-2.) It will be their first meeting.
Qiang Wang of China upset fifth seed Johanna Konta of Great Britain in three sets: 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Vania King of the United States won over lucky loser Stefanie Voegele in straights: 7-5, 6-4.
