Current WTA world No. 16 Elina Svitolina eased past Chinese tennis sensation Zhang Shuai and advanced to the third round of the 2016 Miami Open on Thursday.

Zhang succumbed to the BMW Malaysia Open winner Svitolina in two straight sets 6-3, 6,0.

The world No.68 tennis ace defeated the 16-year-old Sofya Zhuk of Russia in the opening round of the tournament 6-1, 6-2 but failed to replicate her dominant performance in her first encounter with the 12^th seeded Ukrainian.

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Svitolina, 21, is the highest-ranked tennis player from Ukraine. She has already won four WTA titles and reached her career high singles ranking as world No. 14 on March 7, 2016.

Svitolina started tennis at the young age of five and plays right handed (double handed backhand). The Odessa, Ukraine-born is currently being coached by Iain Hughes.

Svitolina will be facing the tourney's 23^rd seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark in the third round of the Premier Mandatory event. Wozniacki currently holds the 25^th spot in the world rankings.

Meanwwhile, Peng Shuai of China will try to back-up her victory against the Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck when she faces the 32^nd seed Monica Niculescu of Romania in their second round showdown.

Peng Shuai and her doubles partner Hsieh Su-wei are the only Chinese players left competing in Miami. They defeated the tandem of Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany and Coco Vandeweghe of the United States in two straight sets 6-4, 6-2 in the doubles event's first round.

In the other matches, world No.1 and tournament's top seed Serena Williams outlasted fellow American Christina McHale 6-3, 5-7, 6-2. Current world No. 2 Pole Agnieszka Radwanska eased past Alize Cornet in two straight sets 6-0, 6-1 and fifth-seeded and world No.5 Simona Halep beat Daria Kasatkina of Russia 6-3, 7-5.

TagsZhang Shuai, Miami Open, serena williams, wta, Elina Svitolina, Peng Shuai, wta rankings