Beijing commences, Tokyo next

China remains the focus for elite tennis in the coming week for both men and women. 

Japan is also hosting a tournament, to continue the Asian leg of the 2018 tennis circuit.

Beijing

WTA China Open, in Beijing, China, on Hard Deco-Turf (Premier Mandatory category)

Simona Halep is top seed, world ranked number one, and 42 of the worlds top 50:are in the main draw.

Since the first round began just a day after the Wuhan semi finals, byes were granted to the Wuhan semi finalists, including Aryna Sabalenka, Anett Kontaveit and Qiang Wang 

One of these, Ash Barty, seeded 16 in Beijing, was ultimately unnecessary as the Australian withdrew late.  

Her place as a seed in the Beijing main draw was taken by Madison Keys (17).

WTA Beijing early first round results 

• Donna Vekic defeated Maria Sakkari 6-1 6-4
• Dasha Gavrilova defeated Petra Kvitová (5) 6-2 6-1, reversing the result from Birmingham in June this year.  Gavrilova surprisingly leads 3-2 in the head to head between the two.
• Julia Goerges (10) defeated Johanna Konta 6-2 4-6 6-3
• Danielle Collins defeated Timea Bacsinszky 6-2 3-6 6-3
• Jelena Ostapenko (12) defeated Magdalena Rybarikova 6-4 7-6(3)
• Aleksandra Krunic defeated Elina Svitolina (6) 0-6 6-4 7-6(4), after trailing 0-6 1-4.  This was the first win for Krunic over Svitolina, who had done ok in Montreal and Cincinnati, but had an ordinary run in the majors, since winning the Premier 5 tournament in Rome in May.

ATP China Open, in Beijing, China, on Hard Deco-Turf (ATP 500 category)

Juan Martin del Potro is top seed, world ranked four, and all eight seeds are in the top 25.

Tokyo

ATP Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships, on Hard (ATP 500 category)

Marin Cilic is top seed, world ranked six, and all eight seeds are in the top 30.

Sabalenka d Kontaveit for Wuhan title

Aryna Sabalenka continued her rise in tennis by claiming her second WTA title in two months, after missing out in her first three finals appearances.

The 20 year old is destined for the top ten, and with her power game, has genuine claims for number one status in years to come.

Her first title was a Premier category tournament in New Haven, but her victory over Anett Kontaveit in The Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open was a step up to Premier 5 level.

The pair of big hitting players began as expected, with winners flowing, but interspersed with wild errors, Sabalenka contributing half a dozen in just the first two games.  The Belarusian settled quickly, though, her forehand the source of much hurt for Kontaveit.

Anett double faulted to present the first break point of the match, and Aryna converted with a winning drop shot.

The single service break led to a set win for Sabalenka 6-3.

Set two saw Sabalenka improve in every aspect of her game, and Kontaveit wasn’t helped with a poor first serve percentage.

Sabalenka was down 2-3 but won 16 of the last 20 points, producing down the line winners from both sides, cross court as well, coming to the net on occasion, and generally playing some of the best tennis seen this year.

The win was secured with a destructive backhand and the 6-3 6-3 scoreline enabled Aryna Sabalenka to move up to 16 in the world rankings, a new career high.  Anett Kontaveit also achieves a career high ranking of 21.

WTA Tashkent final

• Margarita Gasparyan defeated qualifier Anastasia Potapova 6-2 6-1

Margarita moves up 161 places to 138 in the world rankings, and Anastasia moves up 39 places into the top 100 at 93.

ATP Chengdu semi finals

• Fabio Fognini (1) defeated Taylor Fritz 6-7(5) 6-0 6-3
• Qualifier Bernard Tomic defeated João Sousa 6-4 6-4, and will play Fabio Fognini in the final

ATP Shenzhen semi finals 

• Qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka defeated Fernando Verdasco (5) 1-6 6-3 7-6(5)
• Pierre-Hugues Herbert defeated Alex de Minaur (7) 7-5 2-6 7-6(8), and will play Yoshihito Nishioka in the final

Herbert to meet de Minaur in Shenzhen semis

Quarter finals were played in the two ATP tournaments underway, and semi finals in the WTA tournaments.

In Shenzhen, the first quarter final was unseeded, between Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Pierre-Hugues Herbert, and took a long time to complete.

In set one, both players had first serve percentages In the sixties, and each won around three quarters of points on their serve, first or second.

No service breaks resulted from the two chances created, one apiece.

And in the tie break, it was ultimately the Spaniard who prevailed, 8 points to 6, over Herbert.

Set two mirrored the opener in many ways, with no crack of either serve.  The difference was the ease with which Herbert flowed through his service games, winning 28 of the 32 points available.

He accordingly was never threatened, while Ramos-Vinolas needed to fight off two break points before a second tie break ensued.

The first section of the match where either player dominated was here, Herbert racing through 7 points to 1, and levelling the match 6-7(6) 7-6(1)

In the decider, as the match passed the two and a half hour mark, eight games didn’t separate the pair.

At 4-5, though, scoreboard pressure was placed on Ramos-Vinolas when he served to stay in the match.  

Suddenly, three break points arrived, and Pierre-Hugues Herbert needed just one to win 6-7(6) 7-6(1) 6-4.

Other ATP Shenzhen quarter final results 

• Alex de Minaur (7) defeated Damir Dzumhur (4) 6-3 7-6(7), and will play Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the semis
• Qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka defeated Cameron Norrie 7-6(2) 6-2
• Fernando Verdasco (5) defeated wildcard Andy Murray 6-4 6-4, and will play Yoshihito Nishioka in the semis 

ATP Chengdu quarter final results

• Fabio Fognini (1) defeated Matthew Ebden (6) 6-4 6-2
• Taylor Fritz defeated Sam Querrey, in an all American clash 7-6(1) 7-5.  He will play Fabio Fognini in the semis
• João Sousa (7) defeated Malek Jaziri 6-1 3-6 6-3
• Qualifier Bernard Tomic defeated lucky loser Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-2 6-4, and will play João Sousa in the semis 

WTA Wuhan semi final results 

• Anett Kontaveit defeated Qiang Wang 6-2 2-1 (retired).  It was a thigh injury that forced Wang to leave the tournament, but Kontaveit deserved the win, one that achieved her, and Estonia’s first Premier 5 final appearance.  The forehand was especially lethal, and although Wang was increasingly hampered, the tennis was top drawer from Kontaveit.
• Aryna Sabalenka defeated Ash Barty (16) 7-6(2) 6-4, after Barty led 5-3 in the opening set.  Sabalenka will play Anett Kontaveit in the final.

WTA Tashkent semi final results 

• Qualifier Anastasia Potapova defeated Kateryna Kozlova 6-2 6-3, hitting 23 winners
• Margarita Gasparyan defeated Mona Barthel 4-6 6-1 7-5, and will play her doubles partner Anastasia Potapova in an all Russian final.  The pair were defeated in the doubles semi finals

Qiang Wang makes Wuhan semis

The quarter finals in the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open featured eight women from eight different nations.  The home nation, China, was represented by wildcard Qiang Wang, and she played qualifier Monica Puig in the second match of the day.

On a 13 match winning streak in China, Wang had made history by becoming the first from her nation to reach the quarter finals of this tournament.

Puig was on a high after dismissing second seed Caroline Wozniacki in her previous match, and started with promise, creating two break points in the opening game.

However, Wang put a stop to that, holding serve and breaking the Puerto Rican twice for a 4-0 lead.

Puig bounced back and at 3-4 the match was back on serve.  In a topsy turvy affair, Wang steadied to win the set 6-3.

Set two was a blow out - Wang delivered an 80% first serve efficiency, and won all but two of the points when she landed it.  Wang also won 7 of 8 points off the Puig second serve.

Facing no break points on her own serve, Wang broke the Puig serve three times from three opportunities.

25 points to 10 for the set summed up the dominance, as Qiang Wang waltzed into the semi finals 6-3 6-1.

Other quarter final results from Wuhan 

• Ash Barty (16), after a brilliant start, had to fight off a determined Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to claim victory 6-2 5-7 6-4, winning the final four games
• Aryna Sabalenka defeated Dominika Cibulková 7-5 6-3, and will play Ash Barty in the semis
• Anett Kontaveit defeated qualifier Katerina Siniakova 6-4 6-4, and will play Qiang Wang in the semis

ATP Chengdu second round results 

• Fabio Fognini (1) defeated qualifier Ruben Bemelmans 6-4 7-6(2)
• Matthew Ebden (6) defeated Matteo Berrettini 6-3 3-6 7-6(3), and will play Fabio Fognini in the quarter finals
• Sam Querrey defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili (3) 6-1 6-4
• Taylor Fritz defeated Mikhail Kukushkin 7-5 6-1, and will play Sam Querrey in the quarter finals

ATP Shenzhen second round results

• Alex de Minaur (7) defeated Mackenzie McDonald 1-6 7-6(1) 6-0
• Damir Dzumhur (4) defeated qualifier Ramkumar Ramanathan 6-4 6-2, and winter play Alex de Minaur in the quarter finals
• Wildcard Andy Murray achieved his best result since his comeback from injury, defeating David Goffin (1) 6-3 6-4
• Fernando Verdasco (5) defeated Taro Daniel 3-6 6-2 7-5, and will play Andy Murray in the quarter finals 

WTA Tashkent quarter final results

• Kateryna Kozlova defeated Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (6) 6-3 6-2
• Qualifier Anastasia Potapova defeated Dalila Jakupovic (8) 7-5 2-6 6-1, and will play Kateryna Kozlova in the semis
• Mona Barthel defeated Vera Lapko (2) 6-3 7-5
• Margarita Gasparyan defeated qualifier Fanny Stollar 3-6 6-2 6-1, and will play Mona Barthel in the semis

Gasparyan in Tashkent quarters

In Tashkent, Margarita Gasparyan, ranked 299 from Russia, celebrated one of her best wins since coming back from injury.

The former world 41 was out for over a year, but a protected ranking allowed her direct entry into the Tashkent main draw.

Margarita began in a flash, at one stage winning five games straight, and taking the opening set 6-2 against Tatjana Maria (5)

The German player took advantage of Gasparyan errors in set two, and the single service break was enough to level the match 2-6 6-3.

Down 0-4 in the decider, Gasparyan seemed destined to exit Tashkent, but she broke back twice and sent the clash into a tie break.  This she won clearly, and the victory was hers 6-2 3-6 7-6(2)

Other WTA Tashkent second round results 

• Kateryna Kozlova defeated Fiona Ferro 7-5 6-4
• Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (6) defeated Nao Hibino 7-6(5) 6-4, and will play Kateryna Kozlova in the quarter finals
• Qualifier Anastasia Potapova defeated Olga Danilovic, in a battle of the 17 year olds, 6-3 6-3
• Dalila Jakupovic (8) defeated Arantxa Rus 6-1 7-6(6), and will play Anastasia Potapova in the quarter finals 
• Qualifier Fanny Stollar defeated wildcard Vera Zvonareva 7-6(2) 6-4, and will play Margarita Gasparyan in the quarter finals 
• Mona Barthel defeated Evgeniya Rodina (7) 7-5 4-6 6-4
• Vera Lapko (2) defeated qualifier Ivana Jorovic 6-2 6-4, and will play Mona Barthel in the quarter finals 

ATP Shenzhen second round results 

• Qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka defeated Denis Shapovalov (6) 7-6(5) 3-6 7-5
• Albert Ramos-Vinolas defeated Viktor Troicki 7-6(4) 4-6 7-6(3)
• Pierre-Hugues Herbert defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas (2) 6-3 7-6(4), and will play Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the quarter finals
• Cameron Norrie defeated Borna Coric (3) 6-4 7-6(8), and will play Yoshihito Nishioka in the quarter finals 

ATP Chengdu results 

First round

• Matteo Berrettini defeated qualifier Prajnesh Gunneswaran 6-3 6-4

Second round

• João Sousa (7) defeated Vasek Pospisil 6-7(4) 6-4 7-6(0)
• Malek Jaziri defeated Adrian Mannarino (4) 6-3 7-6(5), and will play João Sousa in the quarter finals
• Qualifier Bernard Tomic defeated qualifier Lloyd Harris 7-6(5) 2-6 7-6(6)
• Lucky loser Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated Hyeon Chung (2) 7-6(2) 5-7 6-4, and will play Bernard Tomic in the quarter finals

Barty only seed in Wuhan 1/4s

Wuhan has been the scene of disaster for the top female players, with number one seed Simona Halep, and fourth seed and defending champion Caroline Garcia, both exiting the tournament with first up losses.

Elina Svitolina (6) and Karolina Pliskova (8) followed them out the the door, also losing in round two after first round byes.

The third round continued the trend, with Caroline Wozniacki (2), Angie Kerber (3) and Petra Kvitova (5) falling by the wayside.

The only seed left as we reach the quarter finals is Ash Barty

WTA Wuhan round of sixteen results

• Ash Barty (16) defeated Angie Kerber (3), avenging her loss to the Wimbledon champion in the Sydney final in January this year.

Despite a reasonable 2018, Barty hadn’t beaten a top ten player since Wuhan last year, losing on seven occasions in those matches until now.

Barty opened proceedings well, breaking Kerber in the second game, and saving break points in the third to lead 3-0. It was Kerber unusually leaking unforced errors, and Barty hitting winners in a tidy exhibition.

Although her first serve percentage was poor, the Australian managed to back up her second delivery with solid all court tennis, troubling the German player.  Kerber saved a break point in the sixth game which would have seen Barty serve for the set.

Seemingly comfortable at 5-2, Barty let things slip, and Kerber broke back in the ninth game.  Another two chances for Kerber to break and lead 6-5 were batted off by Barty, who ultimately held for that advantage.

Then, against the flow, Barty broke, aided by two Kerber double faults, to win the set 7-5.

In set two, Barty saved a break point in the opening game, and after that dominated, cracking the German serve twice to lead 5-0.

Ash Barty served it out 7-5 6-1 to reach the quarter finals.

• Dominika Cibulková defeated Daria Kasatkina (13) 6-3 7-6(3)
• Aryna Sabalenka defeated qualifier Sofia Kenin 6-3 6-3, and will play Dominika Cibulková in the quarter finals 
• Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeated Petra Kvitová (5) 3-6 6-3 6-3, and will play Ash Barty in the quarter finals 
• Anett Kontaveit defeated Shuai Zhang 6-4 4-6 6-1
• Wildcard Qiang Wang defeated Dasha Gavrilova 7-5 6-2
• Qualifier Monica Puig defeated Caroline Wozniacki (2) 7-6(10) 7-5, and will play Qiang Wang in the quarter finals 
• Qualifier Katerina Siniakova defeated Garbiñe Muguruza (14) 7-6(3) 7-6(1), and will play Anett Kontaveit in the quarter finals 

Muguruza led 5-1 in the first set, and by a break in the second, yet saw her advantage dissolve in both instances. The tie breaks still gave the Spaniard chances, but she was smashed by Siniakova in each of those.

18 year olds battle in Chengdu

Two eighteen year olds battled it out for almost two and a half hours in Chengdu before a first round winner could be determined.

Yibing Wu, ranked 423 (career high 299 a fortnight ago) and given a wild card in his home nation, was in his first main draw in an ATP tournament since Auckland in January this year, where once again he received a wildcard.

Wu won the junior US Open in 2017.

He was facing lucky loser Felix Auger-Aliassime, a Canadian ranked 147 (career high 116 in August this year), twice finalist on the Challenger tour in 2018, successfully defending his Lyon title in June.

In a closely contested opening set, Yibing won a greater percentage of points on his serve than Felix, and a greater number of points on return, yet it was the Canadian who managed to convert one of the five break points assembled between the players.  Felix led 6-3.

Set two saw Felix winning a big share of points on first serve, while Yibing was strong on his second delivery.

The teenagers took it to a tie break where Yibing excelled seven points to two, and the match rolled into a third stanza.

Felix asserted control in the decider, using his greater experience (hard to imagine at just 18) at this level, and won the first clash between the pair 6-3 6-7(2) 6-1

Other ATP Chengdu first round results 

• Qualifier Ruben Bemelmans defeated Mischa Zverev 6-3 2-0 (retired)
• Matthew Ebden (6) defeated Evgeny Donskoy 6-3 6-4
• Sam Querrey defeated Guido Pella 7-6(6) 6-1
• Taylor Fritz defeated wildcard Chun Hsin Tseng 3-6 6-3 6-4
• Mikhail Kukushkin defeated Tennys Sandgren (8) 6-4 6-3
• Vasek Pospisil defeated Radu Albot 6-3 6-4
• Malek Jaziri defeated Marcos Baghdatis 7-6(7) 1-6 6-2
• Qualifier Lloyd Harris defeated Gaël Monfils (5) 3-6 6-2 6-1

WTA Tashkent first round results

• Kateryna Kozlova defeated Irina-Camelia Begu (1) 6-3 6-2
• Olga Danilovic defeated wildcard Anna Kalinskaya 6-4 6-1
• Arantxa Rus defeated Marta Kostyuk 6-4 6-3
• Wildcard Vera Zvonareva defeated Tamara Zidansek (3) 6-1 6-4
• Evgeniya Rodina (7) defeated Magdalena Frech 7-5 6-2
• Mona Barthel defeated wildcard Nigina Abduraimova 4-6 6-3 6-3
• Qualifier Ivana Jorovic defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3 6-2
• Vera Lapko (2) defeated Bojana Jovanovski Petrovic 6-1 6-3

ATP Shenzhen first round results

• Wildcard Andy Murray defeated wildcard Zhizhen Zhang 6-3 6-7(3) 4-2 (retired)
• Taro Daniel defeated qualifier Tatsuma Ito 2-6 7-5 7-6(5)
• Fernando Verdasco (5) defeated qualifier Jason Jung 6-3 6-2
• Denis Shapovalov (6) defeated Ilya Ivashka 7-5 2-6 6-3
• Alex de Minaur (7) defeated Yuichi Sugita 6-3 6-0
• Mackenzie McDonald defeated Lukas Lacko 5-7 6-0 5-0 (retired)
• Qualifier Ramkumar Ramanathan defeated Jiri Vesely 7-5 6-1

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

Tashkent begins, Wuhan continues

The women continued to contest the Wuhan Premier 5 tournament in China, as another event began in Uzbekistan.

• the Tashkent Open in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Hard, Plexipave (International Category)

Irina-Camelia Begu is top seed, world ranked 53, and all eight seeds are in the top 100.

First round results so far

• Fiona Ferro defeated Jana Fett 1-6 7-6(4) 6-1
• Nao Hibino defeated Eugenie Bouchard 6-3 6-3
• Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (6) defeated qualifier Dejana Radanovic 6-3 6-0
• Qualifier Anastasia Potapova defeated Stefanie Voegele 4-6 7-6(3) 6-3
• Dalila Jakupovic (8) defeated Anna Blinkova 6-4 5-7 6-4
• Tatjana Maria (5) defeated Natalia Vikhlyantseva 6-1 6-2
• Margarita Gasparyan defeated Sabina Sharipova 6-2 6-2
• Qualifier Fanny Stollar defeated Kurumi Nara 3-6 6-3 6-4

The first round in Wuhan was completed, but Naomi Osaka won’t be one of those lining up for the second round - she was a last minute withdrawal, and her spot was taken by lucky loser Polona Hercog, who received the first round bye which Osaka was originally granted as seventh seed.

Wuhan first round results 

• Dominika Cibulková defeated lucky loser Monica Niculescu 6-4 6-3
• Qualifier Xiyu Wang defeated wildcard Bernarda Pera 6-4 6-3
• Qualifier Sofia Kenin defeated Su-Wei Hsieh 6-1 6-1
• Aryna Sabalenka defeated Carla Suárez Navarro 7-6(2) 2-6 6-2
• Madison Keys defeated qualifier Yafan Wang 6-3 6-3
• Ash Barty (16) defeated Johanna Konta 7-5 6-4
• Kiki Bertens (12) defeated Belinda Bencic 6-3 4-6 6-2
• Aleksandra Krunic defeated Camila Giorgi 6-4 4-6 6-4
• Donna Vekic defeated CoCo Vandeweghe 6-4 3-6 2-1 (retired)
• Garbiñe Muguruza (14) defeated Alison Van Uytvanck 6-4 6-0
• Qualifier Viktorija Golubic defeated qualifier Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-3 5-7 6-4
• Wildcard Qiang Wang defeated Maria Sakkari 7-5 6-2
• Barbora Strycova defeated Alizé Cornet 6-3 6-2
• Dasha Gavrilova defeated Jelena Ostapenko (10) 6-2 6-4

Second round

• Shuai Zhang defeated lucky loser Polona Hercog 6-2 7-5

Thiem, Simon win titles in Europe

Results from ATP tournaments last week:

ATP St. Petersburg 

Dominic Thiem (1) defeated Martin Klizan 6-3 6-1, and moves ahead of Grigor Dimitrov to number seven in the world rankings.

Klizan moves up 16 spots to number 49.

ATP Metz

Gilles Simon defeated qualifier Matthias Bachinger 7-6(2) 6-1, and moves up 10 places to 29 in the world rankings.

Bachinger jumps 31 places to 135.

Tournaments beginning this week are:

• the  Chengdu Open in Chengdu, China, on Hard (ATP 250 Category)
• the Shenzhen Open in Shenzhen, China, on Hard, Plexipave (ATP 250 Category)

ATP Chengdu

Fabio Fognini is top seed, world ranked 13, and seven of the seeds are in the top 50.

The top four seeds have first round byes

Early first round results 

• João Sousa (7) defeated Tim Smyczek 7-6(1) 6-7(7) 6-3
• Qualifier Bernard Tomic defeated Bradley Klahn 6-7(6) 7-6(3) 6-2

ATP Shenzhen 

David Goffin is top seed, world ranked 12, and all eight seeds are in the top 50.

The top four seeds have first round byes.

Early first round results 

• Cameron Norrie defeated wildcard Di Wu 6-2 6-2
• Qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka defeated Denis Kudla 6-1 6-3
• Albert Ramos-Vinolas defeated Andreas Seppi (8) 6-7(5) 7-6(7) 6-3
• Viktor Troicki defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 5-3 (retired)
• Pierre-Hugues Herbert defeated Dusan Lajovic 6-4 6-3

Titles for Pliskova, Bertens - Wuhan starts

As this weeks tournaments have finished, so the next big WTA event has already begun.

• the  Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open, in Wuhan, China, on Hard, Deco-Turf II, is a Premier 5 category tournament.

World number one, Simona Halep is top seed, and 20 of the top 24 women are in the main draw - 42 of the top 50.  Both Williams sisters are missing, Maria Sharapova too. Maria has decided to end her season, recover from any injuries and prepare for a big 2019)

The eight top seeds have first round byes.

Early round results 

• Wildcard Saisai Zheng defeated Danielle Collins 2-6 6-4 6-2
• Qualifier Katerina Siniakova defeated Kiki Mladenovic 7-6(4) 6-2
• Qualifier Monica Puig defeated Kirsten Flipkens 7-5 5-7 6-3
• Julia Goerges (11) defeated lucky loser Marketa Vondrousova 6-3 3-6 7-6(4)
• Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeated Anastasija Sevastova 6-2 6-3
• Qualifier Rebecca Peterson defeated Timea Babos 6-7(0) 6-4 4-1 (retired)
• Daria Kasatkina (13) defeated Lesia Tsurenko 6-4 7-5
• Aliaksandra Sasnovich defeated Elise Mertens (15) 7-6(5) 7-6(3)
• Shuai Zhang defeated wildcard Samantha Stosur 6-2 6-2
• Anett Kontaveit defeated Sloane Stephens (9) 4-6 7-5 6-4

WTA Tokyo Final result 

Karolina Pliskova (4) stopped the run of consecutive wins for Naomi Osaka at ten, defeating her 6-4 6-4, and claiming the Toray Pan Pacific Open. In doing so, the Czech star moves ahead of Osaka in the top ten.

WTA Seoul Final result

Kiki Bertens (2) won her 3rd WTA trophy of 2018, taking out the KEB Hana Bank Korea Open in three sets, defeating Ajla Tomljanovic 7-6(2) 4-6 6-2.

Tomljanovic did well to fight back from a set and a break down, winning five games straight and leading 2-0 in the decider, only for Bertens to rattle off the final six games for victory.

Kiki moves to a career high ranking of 11, and Ajla to a career high of 44.

Qualifier Bachinger ousts Nishikori in Metz

ATP St. Petersburg semi finals

• Dominic Thiem (1) defeated wildcard Roberto Bautista Agut (5) 6-4 6-3
• Martin Klizan defeated wildcard Stan Wawrinka 4-6 6-3 7-5, and will play Dominic Thiem in the final

Klizan surprisingly has a 3-0 head to head record against Thiem, although the first two matches were before Thiem had arrived as a top ten player.

Of significance is the match they played in Kitzbühel, Austria, July/August this year.  In Thiem’s backyard, and on his favourite surface, Klizan dumped the top seed en route to his sixth ATP career title.

He’d won in Kitzbühel in 2012 in their first meeting, but fell as fifth seed in the semis; Thiem had only turned pro the year before and needed a wildcard to enter the tournament at 19 years old.

ATP Metz semi finals

• Qualifier Matthias Bachinger caused a huge upset, knocking over top seed Kei Nishikori 2-6 6-4 7-5 

At 31, and after knee surgery over a year ago, the German player, once ranked as high as 85, will jump several places on his hopeful eventual return to the top 100.

Nishikori had beaten Bachinger twice this year, once on the Challenger Tour in Dallas, and later on the ATP Tour in Halle.

Bachinger won from a position of peril, down 3-4 and 0-40 in the third and deciding set, but managed to hold serve and then break for a 5-4 lead.

Nishikori served at 5-6 to force a tie break, but was broken again and Bachinger was through to his first ATP final, repeating the performance of fellow German Peter Gojowczyk, who won this tournament as a qualifier last year.

• Gilles Simon defeated Radu Albot 6-3 6-1, and will play Matthias Bachinger in the final.