The China Open claimed its first high-profile victims yesterday with Britain’s Johanna Konta and Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia falling to surprise defeats in the first round. The sixth seed Konta, who reached last year’s final, appeared woefully short of confidence in getting thrashed by Romania’s unseeded Monica Niculescu 6-1, 6-2.Konta exited soon after Kuznetsova – the seventh seed on the Beijing outdoor hard courts – was beaten by Lara Arruabarrena, the Spanish qualifier stunning her better-known opponent 6-7 (2/7), 7-5, 6-1.Konta’s humbling in just 64 minutes was her fifth loss on the spin as her season disintegrates and threatens her …read more
Source: Gulf times
