Wuhan Open: French Open winner Ostapenko crashes out

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China's top-ranked tennis player Wang Qiang has been on a real hot streak lately and it continued on Monday evening as she brushed aside Maria Sakkari 7-5 6-2 at the Wuhan Open to set up a second-round clash with 8th seed Karolina Pliskova.

Wang, who claimed Guangzhou Open crown with a comfortable victory over Yulia Putintseva last week, had to withstand a much sterner test from world No. 31 Sakkari in a hard-fought battle.

The Greek, who reached the Wuhan semi-finals last year, had a brilliant start to earn a 3-0 advantage in the first set but Wang mounted a spirited fightback and broke Sakkari's serve four times to secure the win.

Next up for Wang is an even tougher challenger in Pliskova, who defeated US Open champion Naomi Osaka in straight sets in Tokyo on Sunday to win the Pan Pacific title.

Zhang Shuai hits a return against Polona Hercog of Slovenia during their women's singles second round match of the WTA Wuhan Openon on September 24. /VCG Photo

Zhang Shuai, the former Chinese No.1, also staged a dramatic comeback in the late match on center court. She recovered from 5-2 down in the second set and held her nerve to edge past Slovenian Polona Hercog 6-2 7-5, reaching the last 16 of this competition for the first time.

In other matches on Monday, China's 17-year-old rising star Wang Xiyu, who became the first girls' junior Grand Slam champion from the Chinese mainland earlier this month, caused another upset by beating American youngster Bernarda Pera 6-4, 6-3.

The surprisingly straightforward victory will see Wang Xiyu break into the top 200 for the first time in her fledgling career.

Daria Gavrilova produced a stunning display to defeat last year's French Open champ Jelena Ostapenko in the opening round of the Wuhan Open on September 24. /VCG Photo

Meanwhile, Wang Yafan's patchy form continued as she fell 6-3 6-3 to the 18th-ranked Madison Keys of the United States, and Zheng Saisai and her Australian partner Daria Gavrilova beat Polish Alicja Rosolska and Abagail Speaks 6-4, 4-6, 10-7.

The biggest upset of the night came when Australia's Daria Gavrilova dumped out 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko 6-2, 6-4 in one hour and 26 minutes.

A right ankle injury forced American Coco Vandeweghe to retire from her third set against Croatia's Donna Vekic, who faces Estonian Anett Kontaveit in the next round.

On Tuesday, World number one Simona Halep will start her Wuhan Open campaign against Slovak player Dominika Cibulkova. While Australian Open champion and 2nd seed Caroline Wozniacki takes on qualifier Rebecca Peterson.