Taiwan’s Chuang Chia-jung advanced to the semi-finals of the Zhonghong Jiangxi International Women’s Open doubles yesterday.
Chuang and her partner, Junri Namigata of Japan, cruised past Italy’s Gioia Barbieri and Marina Melnikova of Russia 6-3, 6-1 in 58 minutes as bad weather brought by the remnants of Typhoon Matmo forced all of yesterday’s matches indoors in Nanchang, China.
Chuang and Namigata set up a semi-final against Ilona Kremen of Belarus and Thailand’s Noppawan Lertcheewakarn or second seeds Yuliya Beygelzimer of Ukraine and Mandy Minella of Luxembourg, who had just started their match as at press time.
Chuang and Namigata knocked out fourth seeds Hsieh Shu-ying of Taiwan and Misaki Doi of Japan in the first round late on Wednesday.
In the singles, top seed Peng Shuai of China advanced to the quarter-finals with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Kremen.
The world No. 50 saved two of five break-point chances and converted five of eight in 1 hour, 8 minutes to set up a last-eight clash with fellow Chinese Wang Qiang.
Fourth seed Luksika Kumkhum of Thailand also advanced, beating Marina Melnikova of Russia 6-4, 6-1 in 1 hour, 18 minutes.
The world No. 110 saved one of three break-point chances and converted six of nine to advance, despite serving seven double faults.
Kumkhum next faces Chinese wild-card Wang Yafan, who defeated Tereza Mrdeza of Croatia 6-4, 6-4 in 2 hours, 2 minutes.
Third seed Misaki Doi of Japan battled past Zhu Lin of China 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in a 2 hour, 9 minute marathon.
Doi next faces No. 6 seed Zheng Saisai of China, who defeated fellow Chinese Xu Yi-fan 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2 in another three-setter which lasted 2 hours, 56 minutes.
In the other second-round matches, Hong Kong’s Zhang Ling cruised past Ankita Raina of India 6-2, 6-1 to set up a quarter-final with China’s Liu Fangzhou, who saw off Slovenia’s Nastja Kolar 6-2, 6-4.
BAKU CUP
Top seed Sorana Cirstea of Romania crashed out of the second round of the Baku Cup in Azerbaijan yesterday after falling to a shock 6-1, 6-1 defeat to Stefanie Voegele.
The Swiss world No. 72 saved three of four break-point chances and converted six of six to cruise past the world No. 29 in just 50 minutes to set up a quarter-final with Israel’s Shahar Peer
France’s Kristina Mladenovic found her second-round match much tougher going as she battled to a 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 win over Donna Vekic of Croatia.
The world No. 81 saved eight of 12 break-point chances and converted six of eight, while the Croatian served up 10 double faults in 1 hour, 50 minutes.
The Frenchwoman next faces world No. 75 and former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone in the quarter-finals after the Italian defeated Israel’s Julia Glushko 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) in 1 hour, 38 minutes yesterday.
Second seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine defeated Silvia Soler-Espinosa of Spain 7-5, 6-2 to set up a quarter-final against France’s Pauline Parmentier.
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