Qiang Wang d Ka Pliskova in Wuhan

In one of the second round matches in Wuhan, two title winners from last week met - Karolina Pliskova (8) (Tokyo) and wildcard Qiang Wang (Guangzhou)

The pair had met just once before, in this tournament last year, where Pliskova surrendered a mere three games in the round of sixteen.

This years opening set was totally different, Qiang Wang racing to a 5-1 lead, pouncing on a plethora of errors from the Czech racquet.

Two set points were saved, and Pliskova had a game point to stay alive in the set.

However, two successive backhand errors, followed by one off the forehand, saw the set delivered to the Chinese number one 6-1

Pliskova improved in set two, and led 2-1 after serve was broken in the first three games.

At 1-3 and 40-0, Wang was still close, but let three game points evaporate, double faults and mistakes eventually leading to another break.

Pliskova served for the set at 5-2, but a Chinese forehand saved set point, and Wang went on to retrieve one of the breaks.

The comeback was short lived as Pliskova broke serve for the fourth time in the set and tied the match 1-6 6-3.

In the third game of the decider, Pliskova threw in two double faults and dropped serve.  Wang had two break points in the fifth game but couldn’t grab a 4-1 advantage, as Pliskova used her forehand to scrape through that game.

The next two games were service breaks, and the eighth game provided the best tennis of the match. Winners from both players littered the court, and Wang saved two break points, deuce being visited five times.

Finally serve was held, and Qiang Wang then quickly found herself with three match points on the Pliskova serve, Czech errors to blame. Two were saved but not a third, and Chinese fans were cheering as their player won her way into the round of sixteen 6-1 3-6 6-3.

Other Wuhan second round results 

• Daria Kasatkina (13) defeated qualifier Xiyu Wang 6-1 3-6 7-6(8)
• Qualifier Sofia Kenin defeated Julia Goerges (11) 6-3 2-6 6-4
• Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elina Svitolina (6) 6-4 2-6 6-1
• Angie Kerber (3) defeated Madison Keys 6-0 4-1 (retired)
• Ash Barty (16) defeated wildcard Saisai Zheng 4-6 6-1 6-2
• Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeated Kiki Bertens (12) 6-4 6-2
• Petra Kvitová (5) defeated Aleksandra Krunic 6-3 6-4
• Anett Kontaveit defeated Donna Vekic 6-2 6-4
• Garbiñe Muguruza (14) defeated qualifier Viktorija Golubic 6-0 6-1
• Qualifier Katerina Siniakova defeated defending champion Caroline Garcia (4) 3-6 7-6(5) 7-6(4) in three hours
• Dasha Gavrilova defeated Barbora Strycova 6-2 7-6(3)
• Qualifier Monica Puig defeated Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-2 6-2
• Caroline Wozniacki (2) defeated qualifier Rebecca Peterson 6-4 6-1
• Dominika Cibulková defeated Simona Halep (1) 6-0 7-5