Top seed Angelique Kerber started off her Hong Kong campaign on day two with a straight-sets victory over Maria Sakkari. Defending champion and 7th seed Jelena Jankovic also got off to a great start. Samantha Stosur, on the other hand, who was seeded fourth was knocked out in impressive fashion by Nao Hibino in the only upset of the day as the rest of the matches wrapped up in straight sets.

Kerber edges past fighting Sakkari

The Greek put up a good fight against the world number one on the last match scheduled on center court. It was Sakkari who got off to the better start breaking the German’s opening service game to take a 2-0 lead. Kerber got right back into the match with an immediate break back. Sakkari pushed the German once more but top seed got herself out of trouble saving four break points to get back on serve. Kerber followed it up with another break and hung on to see out the first set.

Kerber cruises through the first set | Photo: Power Sport Images/Getty Images
Kerber cruises through the first set | Photo: Power Sport Images/Getty Images

The second set was another tough one but the German conjured up a 5-2 lead. However, a poor service caused her to drop her serve as Sakkari put up one last fight. The world number one eventually got the job done on her second attempt to seal a 6-4, 6-4 victory.

Stosur shocked by Hibino

After exchanging breaks to begin the match, it was Hibino who fended off break points before breaking Stosur’s serve. That break was enough for the 84th ranked Japanese to grab the first set over the fourth seed.

A much tighter start to the second set eventually saw Hibino capitalize for a break to love to gain the upper hand for a 3-2 lead. The Australian did not give up fighting though clawing her way back to 4-4 but lost the initiative failing to hold serve and trailed 4-5. In what was the longest game of the match, the Japanese was forced to fend off a break point and was pushed to deuce countless times before eventually closing out a 6-4, 6-4 win on her fifth match point.

Hibino hangs on to complete the upset | Photo: Power Sport Images/Getty Images
Hibino hangs on to complete the upset | Photo: Power Sport Images/Getty Images

Other seeds breeze into the second round

Third seed and new top 10 entrant Johanna Konta cruised past Naomi Broady in the all-British battle posting a 6-2, 6-2 victory.

Caroline Wozniacki  who was cruising in her match against Saisai Zheng then suffered a hiccup serving for the match. She squandered away four match points allowing the Chinese to try and get back into the match. Zheng fought off a break point for 4-5 but Wozniacki composed herself to close out the match.

Wozniacki gets the job done to advance to the next round | Photo: Power Sport Images/Getty Images
Wozniacki gets the job done to advance to the next round | Photo: Power Sport Images/Getty Images

Defending champion Jankovic got through her first round match against Samantha Crawford with relative ease winning 6-3, 6-1 in just an hour.

Sixth seed Caroline Garcia dropped just three games in her 6-3, 6-0 demolition of qualifier Tereza Martincova.

Rest of the results

Kristina Mladenovic had to save a set point in the first set despite holding an initial 5-2 lead before coming through 7-6(6), 6-1 over Dalila Jakupovic.

Fresh off her doubles win at Beijing, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, this time, was on singles duty defeating wildcard Basak Eraydin 6-1, 6-2.

Home player Ling Zhang crashed out to China’s Qiang Wang 6-2, 6-2 who did not lose her serve the entire match.

The longest match of the day saw Heather Watson tussle out a hard-fought win over Marina Erakovic which stretched slightly over two hours with a 7-5, 7-6(9) scoreline.

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About the author
Pavitra Ganesan
Tennis enthusiast and aspiring journalist.