By Adrianna Outlaw | Tuesday, September 27, 2016
In her first match as world No. 1, Angelique Kerber conquered Kristina Mladenovic, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-4, to set up a Wuhan clash with Petra Kvitova.
Photo credit: Wuhan Open
Rising to the top of the world rankings hasn't slowed Angelique Kerber's roll.
Contesting her first match as world No. 1, Kerber conquered Kristina Mladenovic 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-4 to stretch her winning streak to eight matches.
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"Kiki was playing very well today, especially in the first set. I was trying to come back in the second," said Kerber, who beat Mladenovic for the third time in as many meetings. "The first match is always tough. But I'm happy to be back in China and to have won my first match here.
"I was trying to play more aggressive, more my tennis, moving a little bit better."
The US Open champion, who has won 17 of her last 19 matches, set up an intriguing third-round clash with Petra Kvitova.
The 14th-seeded Kvitova needed just one hour to dismiss Elina Svitolina, 6-3, 6-1.
"I was really waiting all season to get few wins, as I did starting in Montreal kind of," Kvitova said. "I mean, there I was starting feeling better on the court. My game was kind of coming back, which was very nice. Especially the Rio, that was kind of peak of the season, for sure.
"I think from that time I knew that kind of going there for the medal was big goal for me this season. I think from the time I was feeling a little bit relaxed, and it's same up here. Now I just really enjoying the tennis which I love to make these feelings."
Two-time Grand Slam champion Kerber has won five of nine meetings with two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova, including a 6-3, 7-5 victory in the US Open round of 16 earlier this month.
Madison Keys cracked 13 aces in a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Caroline Garcia. Keys will face 28th-ranked Russian Daria Kasatkina next. In a clash of qualifiers, Kasatkina crushed American Louisa Chirico, 6-1, 6-1, in 49 minutes.
No. 6-seeded Venus Williams broke serve seven times dispatching Yulia Putintseva 6-3, 6-2, in 70 minutes.
The reigning Wuhan champion will face two-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the third round. Kuznetsova swept Madison Brengle, 6-0, 6-4. Williams and Kuznetsova have split eight career matches. This will be their first meeting since 2009.
Third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska routed Ekaterina Makarova, 6-4, 6-1, in 69 minutes. Radwanska will face good friend and former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki next.
Fresh off her run to the Tokyo title, Wozniacki was a 6-4, 6-4 victor over qualifier Katerina Siniakova in 96 minutes.
Wozniacki rallied for a three-set win over Radwanska in the Tokyo semifinals then shared a plane with the Pole when they flew to Wuhan.
"I guess as long as I just keep pounding and keep grinding, I'm going to take it," Wozniacki said. "I'm on a roll, so hopefully I can keep pushing myself and play well."
No. 11-seeded Johanna Konta beat Zhang Shuai, 6-3, 6-3, and will play seventh-seeded Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro next.