Mirra Andreeva survives scare at China Open

BEIJING: Mirra Andreeva overcame a first-set loss Friday to advance to the Round of 32 at the China Open in Beijing.

The 19-year-old fourth seed provided the day's biggest drama when she lost 3-6 to wild-card entrant Yue Yuan of China.

She stormed back to double-bagel the world's 135th-ranked player 6-0, 6-0.

After the match, Andreeva termed her start "frustrating," adding, "I was just not happy with the way things were going."

She said Yuan was the more aggressive player in the first set.

Andreeva managed five aces in the match.

The 6-0 victories were her 12th and 13th of the season, most by any player on tour.

"I'm just happy I was able to turn things around," Andreeva said.

"I felt like in the second set and the third set, my goal was to not let her be the one dominating, take advantage before her."

Next up for her in this WTA 1000 event is a Round of 32 match against Polina Kudermetova of Uzbekistan, who upset 32nd seed Clara Tauson of Denmark 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

Second-seeded Anna Sabalenka had no trouble advancing. She dispatched Renata Zarazua of Mexico 6-1, 6-3 in 62 minutes, putting away 36 winners.

"I'm definitely happy with the level I played at," Sabalenka said at her post- match session with reporters. "Not much to complain about."

Fifth-seeded Linda Noskova and seventh-seeded Karolina Muchova, both of Czechia, triumphed in straight sets.

Noskova downed Elena Gabriela Ruse of Romania 6-4, 6-1, while Muchova defeated Katie Boulter of the United Kingdom 7-6 (3) 6-1.

Naomi Osaka of Japan, the 12th seed and the winner of this event in 2019, needed three sets to defeat Maria Timofeeva of Uzbekistan 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Osaka was playing for the first time since losing to eventual champion Elena Rybakina in the US Open.

"It was a tough match," Osaka said in her post-match press conference.

"I've never played her before, but also it was a little hard to get my bearings, because I haven't played since New York."

That meant the biggest upset of the day was 14th-seeded Jasmine Paolini of Italy losing to Daria Snigur of Ukraine 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2 in two hours and 11 minutes.

Anastasia Potapova of Austria, the 16th seed, retired in the first set while trailing 4-1 to fellow countrywoman Sinja Kraus.

Potapova took a medical timeout to get treatment on her shoulder before leaving the court. — REUTERS