China's Wang Qiang reaches round 3 of Australian Open

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China's top-ranked player Wang Qiang, who is seeded for the first time at the Australian Open, beat Serbia's Aleksandra Krunich 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the third round of the season-opening grand slam tournament for the first time in her career.

The 27-year-old, seeded 21st, has never got past the second round in four previous appearances in Melbourne.

China's Wang Qiang serves against Serbia's Aleksandra Krunic during their women's singles match on day four of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 17, 2019. / VCG Photo

The Tianjin native didn't give the Serbian much chance, as she kept threatening Krunich's serve. In the sixth game of the opening frame, Wang broke her opponent to go 4-2 in front. The Chinese broke again on set point to win the first frame 6-2 with a powerful forehand.

Wang then jumped ahead 2-1 in the second set and broke her opponent again when Krunic sent a backhand into the net to make it 3-1.

In the sixth game of the second set, Krunich fought back and saved two match points to hold serve. But Wang still led 5-3 going into the deciding game, and she put the set and the match away with a forehand into the corner to win 6-3.

Wang Qiang and Zhang Shuai are the only two Chinese left in the women's singles. Peng Shuai, Zheng Saisai, Zhu Lin and Wang Yafan lost in the opening round.