The 2014 and 2016 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open champion Petra Kvitova victoriously opened her 2019 campaign after a first-round bye, while Caroline Wozniacki and Angelique Kerber both fell to unseeded opponents in the first round on Monday.
After a less than perfect US Open Series, which saw her play only two tournaments because of a left forearm injury, the fifth-seeded Kvitova edged Polona Hercog 7-6(6) 6-3 by winning a tightly-contested opening set that featured no break points and then cruising through the second set.
Seed No.13 Caroline Wozniacki won the first tiebreaker but was overwhelmed by Hsieh Su-Wei in the second and third sets as the unseeded player from Chinese Taipei advanced with a 6-7(2) 6-1 6-2 win. The 33-year-old Hsieh broke the former world No.1’s serve six times, while saving eight of ten break points.
The highest seed to fall on Monday was No.11 Angelique Kerber, as Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig bounced back from failing to convert two match points and losing the second set, overcoming the German 7-6(5) 5-7 6-1 in two hours and 46 minutes.
Our photographer Jimmie48 visited these matches and many more in Wuhan on Monday. Moreover, he accompanied Karolina Pliskova on her visit to the Hubei Provincial Museum.
Tuesday’s schedule at the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open will be all about second-round action. Top seeds — including Ashleigh Barty, Karolina Pliskova, Elina Svitolina and Simona Halep — will open their campaigns at the Premier 5 tournament tomorrow.
What the heck is that a tattoo of on Sabalenka’s left forearm? A panther with it’s mouth open? A dragon head? I would not want to meet her in a dark alley–I know she could beat me up!
Jim, it’s a tiger with its mouth open. She got the tattoo some two years ago.