Wang raises the bar in Paris

Chinese upstart extends best ever Slam effort

China’s Wang Qiang reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career with a 6-1, 6-1, thumping of Croatia’s Petra Martic at the French Open on Wednesday.

World No 85 Wang, who stunned American legend Venus Williams in the opening round, dominated on her first serve to win in just 52 minutes.

The 27-year-old Martic sits 50 places above Wang in the world rankings, but it looked like the complete opposite as the Tianjin native mixed up her game to bamboozle her opponent.

Martic flung her racket to the ground in frustration during the second set.

“I had expected the victory after winning my first match here,” said Wang.

“My coach told me that if I maintained my momentum of overcoming Williams, I would win today.

“I didn’t play her before, but I knew I needed to play more aggressively.”

Wang was enduring a subpar clay season this year before making the quarterfinals in Strasbourg, her final warm-up tournament for Roland Garros.

Next up for Wang is world No 98 Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan, who has dispatched British No 1 Johanna Konta and Jennifer Brady of the US — both in straight sets, so far.

Wang wouldn’t speculate how far she can progress.

“I didn’t think that I could beat Williams after the draw. I will just try to play well in every match,” she said.

“I will not worry about who I am playing against and will just try to play at my best level.”

Meanwhile, in the women’s doubles, China’s Yang Zhaoxuan, Xu Yifan and Duan Yingying all reached round two, but Peng Shuai and Zhang Shuai fell at the first hurdle.

Peng and Zhang were set to play their singles secondround matches on Thursday, with China’s Zheng Saisai and Wang Yafan in first-round women’s doubles.

Meanwhile, Venus and Serena Williams, two-time Roland Garros doubles champions, beat Japan’s Aoyama Shuko and Kato Miyu 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in front of a raucous crowd cheering on the American sisters who were teamed at a major for the first time since capturing a sixth Wimbledon doubles crown in 2016.

I had expected the victory after winning my first match here. My coach told me that if I maintained my momentum of overcoming Williams, I would win today.”

Wang Qiang, after reaching the French Open third round

CHEN YICHEN / XINHUA China’s Wang Qiang hits a backhand return to Croatia’s Petra Martic during the second round of the French Open in Paris on Wednesday. The unseeded Wang, who knocked out Venus Williams in her opening match, beat the world No 35 6-1, 6-1 to book a...