Busy Bertens ready for bed, Muguruza gains Wimbledon revenge

The Wuhan Open began with Kiki Bertens overcoming a hectic 24 hours and Garbine Muguruza earning a measure of revenge.

Kiki Bertens, fresh from triumphing in the Korea Open final on Sunday, had little time to celebrate her success.

Kiki Bertens overcame a hectic 24 hours to defeat Belinda Bencic in round one of the Wuhan Open, while Garbine Muguruza exorcised some Wimbledon demons.

Bertens, fresh from triumphing in the Korea Open final on Sunday, had little time to celebrate her success, but Muguruza – a runner-up at the event in Wuhan three years ago – had a slightly easier outing. There was also a shock loss for Jelena Ostapenko in the best of Monday's round one action.

We're going three @wuhanopentennis !@BelindaBencic takes the second set against @kikibertens 6-4 !#WuhanOpenpic.twitter.com/eRmNubJL92

— WTA (@WTA) September 24, 2018

 

BUSY BERTENS READY FOR BED

Spare a thought for Bertens, who will deservedly be sleeping off a busy 24 hours.

The 12th seed took home the title in Seoul, landed in Wuhan at 3.15pm local time on Monday, began her match against Bencic just over four hours later, saw the encounter interrupted by rain and then triumphed 6-3 4-6 6-2 shortly before midnight.

Feet up on Tuesday then, surely? Sadly not, Bertens battles Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in round two.

MUGURUZA GAINS WIMBLEDON REVENGE

A couple of months ago, Muguruza's Wimbledon defence came to an end against Alison van Uytvanck in the second round.But this time around the Spaniard chalked up a convincing 6-4 6-0 triumph.

Confidence on the

2015 @wuhanopentennis finalist @GarbiMuguruza opens campaign with a bang.

HIGHLIGHTS --> https://t.co/UCgVsVYf0Jpic.twitter.com/kepFbzKks1

— WTA (@WTA) September 24, 2018

 

"I remember the match from Wimbledon, it was a very tough match for me," she said. "It was very different circumstances there, and surface of course. 

"It's always good to play the same person that beat you and feeling good you did something much better than the previous match."

 

OSTAPENKO OUSTED

They say beware the unknown, and so it proved for 10th seed Jelena Ostapenko. The Latvian had never previously faced Daria Gavrilova and it was the Australian celebrating an upset 6-2 6-4 victory.

Ostapenko, a semi-finalist in Wuhan 12 months ago, continues a poor run of form having seen her Seoul defence ended in round two last week.

In other matches, last year's runner-up Ashleigh Barty (16) defeated Johanna Konta 7-5 6-4, having also beaten the Briton 12 months ago. Madison Keys bested Wang Yafan 6-3 6-3, while Wang Xiyu, Sofia Kenin, Aryna Sabalenka, Aleksandra Krunic, Donna Vekic, Viktorija Golubic, Wang Qiang and Barbora Strycova all reached round two.