Halep, Kvitova crash out in Beijing upsets
BEIJING: The WTA portion of the China Open suffered a demoralising early hit yesterday as top seed Simona Halep retired trailing 4-5 with an ankle injury while No.2 Petra Kvitova was knocked out in quick straight sets.
Halep was the week’s draw card after Serena Williams (ended her season), Maria Sharapova (injured) and French Open finalist Lucie Safarova (ill) all withdrew.
But the remaining elites did not live up to promise, as world No.2 Halep leaves Asia after losing two of three matches in China between Wuhan and Beijing.
Sara Errani claimed an upset for Italy as she knocked out 2014 finalist Kvitova, with the Czech second seed treated for a shoulder injury in the second set of a 7-5, 6-4 loss.
The loss marks a complete change of fortune for double Wimbledon winner Kvitova, who won the Wuhan title in 2014 and followed up with her Beijing final against Sharapova.
US open winner Flavia Pennetta earned a victory in her first match since winning the Grand Slam a month ago over Roberta Vinci. The Italian defeated Chinese qualifier Han Xinyun 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.
Pennetta is back on court in her final few events prior to what was announced as her retirement at the US Open trophy ceremony.
The 33-year-old spent a few weeks at home decompressing and attended Milan Fashion week. Pennetta stands sixth in the world after her Grand Slam triumph.
Two more seeds benefitted from retirements: No.4 Agnieszka Radwanska won over American CoCo Vandeweghe 6-3, retired while Spanish seventh seed advanced over Lesya Tsurenko 6-3, retired.
Americans Sloane Stephens, Irina Falconi and Bethanie Mattek-Sands all reached the second round, with qualifier Mattek-Sands beating Alize Cornet 6-3, 6-3 as the Frenchwoman lost her fourth match in a row dating to Aug 24 in New Haven.
Earlier, a defiant Rafael Nadal warned yesterday his career was not over yet as he pledged that “sooner or later” he will be back at the very top of men’s tennis.
A tough 2015 has left many wondering whether the only thing left for the 29-year-old was retirement, but Nadal said he was prepared to scrap his way back into contention.
Nadal has cut a doleful figure for much of the season but the fire was back in his eyes and the old snarl was on his face as he described how his mental composure was returning.
“In the US Open I did better, even if I lost the match [to Fabio Fognini in the round of 32]. Tough loss, but I did better. Let’s try here to do better again,” Nadal, wearing a matador logo on his cap and T-shirt, said at the China Open.
“I think I am working well. I am very motivated to go for that challenge that brings me the chance to overcome a tough situation for me. I love that feeling, and I am going to fight to make that happen.”
Nadal has not got further than the quarter-finals in Grand Slams this year, even on his beloved Roland Garros clay, and he has slipped to seventh in the world from second a year ago.
But the Spaniard has confounded expectations more than once by rebounding from seemingly insurmountable injury problems to reclaim his place at tennis’s top table.
Now he said the old confidence was coming back and he pledged to use his final tournaments of the year as preparation for next season, which includes the Australian Open in January.
“It’s obvious that when you lose more than what you won, you lose your confidence, no? But the confidence comes back with victories and with good feelings on court,” he told reporters in Beijing.
“In the practices, there are better feelings for me. Now it remains to compete a little bit better [in matches]. But I think it’s coming.”