Wednesday’s play at the China Open featured the remaining second-round matches and the first two third-round encounters took place, establishing Petra Kvitova and Li Na as a quarterfinal pair.
In the second-rounders, there were two upsets, as Slovenian Polona Hercog stunned 14th-seeded Ana Ivanovic and Andrea Petkovic, ranked 43rd, defeated 25th-ranked Svetlana Kuznestova. Third seed Agnieszka Radwanska and seed No.8 Jelena Jankovic advanced into the third round.
World No.76 Polona Hercog ousted Ana Ivanovic in their first career meeting, finishing the match in one hour and 16 minutes without facing a break point, 6-4 6-4. Later Hercog said that it was one of her best victories, even though she defeated Marion Bartoli in 2012 when the French was world No.7.
After eliminating Victoria Azarenka in the first round, Andrea Petkovic made her second upset this week by sending home two-time China Open winner Svetlana Kuznestova 4-6 6-4 6-1. Now their head-to-head record is 3-2 for Petkovic.
In the last two matches of the second round, Agnieszka Radwanska breezed into the third round by beating Madison Keys in one hour and 15 minutes, 6-3 6-2. After her third victory over the American, Radwanska said that there were no surprises for her in this match because the two had already met at Wimbledon this year and she knew what to expect from her opponent. Eighth seed Jelena Jankovic advanced into the third round with a 6-3 5-7 6-3 victory over Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan.
As for the two third-round matches that took place on Wednesday, fourth seed Li Na beat seed No.13 Sabine Lisicki 7-5 6-4 and managed to even their head-to-head record at 2-2. Her quarterfinal opponent will be Czech Petra Kvitova who dispatched fifth seed Sara Errani with her six aces to Errani’s zero 6-4 6-7(7) 6-3 in two hours and 27 minutes. This is the Czech’s sixth straight victory over the Italian. (photo: © Neal Trousdale)
