Google News
World no. 3 Elina Svitolina decided to embrace packed schedule after the US Open and her body wasn't ready to endure that, retiring against Marie Bouzkova in the second round in Guangzhou while trailing 6-4 4-3. Bouzkova barely lost a point on serve in the opening set, with Svitolina wasting five game points at 4-5 to drop serve and the opener.
The Ukrainian had an early lead in the second set but that didn't last for long, suffering a break in game four and deciding to retire after fending off three break chances in the seventh game. Anna Blinkova took down Aleksandra Krunic 6-2, 7-5 in an hour and 23 minutes, trailing 5-2 in set number two before taking 20 of the last 24 points that propelled her into the quarters.
The 3rd seed Sofia Kenin ousted Katarina Zavatska 6-4, 6-2 in 76 minutes, getting broken twice but taking more than half of the return points, enough for five breaks and the place in the last eight, taking 12 of the final 15 games to overcome a slow start and control the scoreboard in the rest of the encounter.
A qualifier Jasmine Paolini prevailed against the 6th seed Saisai Zheng 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 after two hours and 42 minutes, in the match with 26 break chances overall. Both players scored six breaks and it was the Italian who played better in the crucial moments, overcoming a 3-0 deficit in the decider and earning the pivotal break at 5-5 that carried her over the finish line.
Viktorija Golubic ousted the 5th seed Katerina Siniakova 4-6, 7-5, 6-0 in two hours and eight minutes, trailing 6-4, 5-2 before taking the last 11 games of the match, playing better and better after that turnaround to march over the finish line and enter the quarters.
The 4th seed Shuai Zhang defeated Andrea Petkovic 7-5, 6-4, suffering three breaks and earning five on the other hand to cross the finish line first, taking the most critical games in the closing stages of both sets to emerge at the top.
Samantha Stosur ousted Bernarda Pera in the deciding tie break after two hours and 35 minutes, wasting four match points in the 12th game of the final set before taking the tie break to advance into the quarters and stay on the course towards the top-100 return.