Third seed Zheng Jie of China slumped to a 6-2, 6-3 defeat by Taiwan’s Chang Kai-chen in the second round of the Malaysian Open yesterday.
Chang was an unstoppable force and crushed the experienced Zheng with a mix of accurate backhand returns and powerful smashes.
The Taiwanese player dominated the match, her convincing win wrapped up in 75 minutes amid some exciting rallies.
PHOTO: REUTERS
“I put pressure on her. I played aggressive to win. I am very happy,” she told reporters.
Zheng hailed Chang’s attacking style but admitted a controversial line call “affected me a little bit.”
“She played so fast. I changed my style of game. I tried some lobs and slices but I could not get the points. She played very well,” Zheng said.
“I really wanted to win. She [Chang] looked so hungry [for a victory],” she said.
Chang said she would try to beat Austria’s sixth seed Sybille Bammer in today’s quarter-finals.
“I don’t get pressured playing against anyone. I just go out and do my best. I will do the right things against her [Bammer],” she said.
Bammer trounced Akgul Amanmuradova 6-3, 6-0 yesterday.
Other winners were South Africa’s Chanelle Scheepers and Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia.
■DUBAI OPEN
AFP, DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Sixth-seed Marin Cilic became the latest surprise casualty at the Dubai Open yesterday.
Cilic’s 7-6 (10/8), 7-5 loss to Jurgen Melzer left only Novak Djokovic remaining of the world’s top ten players.
Cilic’s defeat followed those of Andy Murray, Nikolay Davydenko, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and Gilles Simon, and the withdrawal of the unwell Roger Federer on Sunday.
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