Great Britain tennis star Sonay Kartal don continue her winning return to WTA Tour with strong straight-set win over home hope Wang Xinyu for China Open.
Kartal, 24, show dominant display to beat Chinese 31st seed Wang 6-3 6-2 for only her second tour match after six months out with back injury.
She suppose face newly crowned world number one Elena Rybakina for last 32, but top seed from Kazakhstan fall to shock three-set defeat by Armenian world number 118 Alina Charaeva.
For men side, top seed Alexander Zverev cruise past China’s Juncheng Shang 6-0 6-3 to book quarter-final against Novak Djokovic.
Kartal reach quarter-finals for Beijing in 2025 but she don slide down to 129 in world after she miss majority of this season, including past three Grand Slam tournaments.
She retire injured from last-16 clash against Rybakina for Indian Wells in March and she no return to competitive action until last month Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
But after she earn comfortable win over Spain Andrea Lazaro Garcia on her return to tour duty for China Open, Kartal follow am up with clinical performance in beating Wang.
She produce 12 winners and make just 11 unforced errors, compared to her opponent 24, converting five of her 14 break points with some impressive groundstrokes.
‘I am super happy to play here and I think that shows in my tennis,’ Kartal talk for her on-court interview, as she recall her run to last year quarter-final.
‘I’ve had a long time out but I am happy to make a return to this event – I am looking to equal or hopefully do better this year.’
To do that, Kartal next match suppose be against Rybakina, but the US Open champion was well below her best in disappointing 6-3 4-6 3-6 defeat by unseeded Charaeva, who had never before faced top 20 player for WTA Tour.
Meanwhile, Kartal British team-mate Harriet Dart produce encouraging display in three-set defeat by American 10th seed Iva Jovic.
The 30-year-old British qualifier look capable of causing upset after she claim three breaks of serve for opening set to charge into early lead before eventually lose out 2-6 6-3 6-3 to rising 18-year-old.
Zverev maintain him fine form for season that don feature the German winning him first two Grand Slam titles – French Open and US Open – to set up tantalising match against Djokovic on Sunday.
Djokovic, 39, don win China Open six times and never lose match for the event for Beijing, but Zverev know say he go rise to number one for world for first time for him career if he win China Open and Shanghai Masters, which start on Wednesday (7 October).
The 29-year-old German chances were boosted on Saturday when current world number one Jannik Sinner announce him decision to withdraw from Shanghai Masters.
Italian Sinner dey recover from knee injury and he no play since beating Zverev for final of Wimbledon in July.
Sinner take number one spot in April from Spain Carlos Alcaraz, who return from four months out with wrist injury for US Open in September.
World number three Alcaraz make am through to quarter-finals of Japan Open for Tokyo on Saturday, saving four set points for opener against Italian Matteo Arnaldi before powering back to win 7-6 (8-6) 6-1.
Alcaraz go next play Canadian Denis Shapovalov following him 7-5 3-6 6-4 victory over Chile Alejandro Tabilo.
