CHINA TOPIX

12/22/2024 05:38:25 pm

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Wuhan Open: Garcia Upsets Radwanska; Sharapova Advances to Third Round

Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia slew another dragon in Agnieszka Radwanska to advance to the third round of the Wuhan Open in China

(Photo : sports.ndtv.com)

Caroline Garcia upset fifth-seed Agnieszka Radwanska and Maria Sharapova advanced to the third round of the first edition of the Wuhan Open in China on Monday.

After defeating World No. 18 Venus Williams in the opening round, 20-year-old Garcia slew another dragon in Rogers Cup champion Radwanska.

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Garcia dropped the first set but came out on top after a tie-break in the second set. She continued her tenacity in the third and deciding set and forced the 25-year-old Radwanska to another tie-break.

At the tie-break, both players would not let up on their serves but Garcia finally had the opportunity to break Radwanska with a huge ground stroke to take the set and the match 3-6 7(7)-6(4) 7(9)-6(7) in a match that lasted two hours and 42 minutes.

Garcia will next face the winner of the 10th seed Jelena Jankovic and American Coco Vandeweghe who won over Annika Beck, the Lucky Loser who replaced Victoria Azarenka who withdrew from the tournament and the rest of the season due to injury to her right foot.

"It's pretty different game between Venus and Radwanska, but I did the same game for myself," Garcia said. "I knew I was still close even when I lost the first set, and that I could maybe win the second and third."

Meanwhile, former World No. 2 Radwanska's chances of making the WTA Finals in Singapore is becoming slim but she still hopes to make the final eight players with a great performance at the China Open in Beijing late this month.

"I think it was tough match from beginning to the end," Radwanska said. "I think it was very tight game. Definitely I could have done better in the moments that I should have really stepped forward."

Fourth seed Sharapova had a difficult time disposing fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova as she dropped the first set and then cruised through the second and third sets 3-6 6-2 6-2 which lasted more than two hours.

The French Open champion is set to play against the winner of the Ekaterina Makarova-Timea Bacsinszky matchup.

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