Caroline Wozniacki’s hopes of qualifying for the year-ending WTA Finals in Singapore took a hit after she crashed out of the China Open.
Australian Samantha Stosur showed flashes of her old brilliance to beat Wozniacki 6-4 7-6(9) in their second round encounter.
Wozniacki needed to win the Beijing title to definitely qualify for Singapore but was troubled by the sharp-serving Stosur, who broke her in the seventh game to claim the first set and saved five set points in the tie-break before closing it out.
Wozniacki can still qualify for Singapore this week, if Angelique Kerber does not reach the quarter-finals and Ekaterina Makarova falls before the final.
Stosur’s third round opponent will be Frenchwoman Alize Cornet who outplayed Lauren Davis 6-2 6-1.
Third seed Petra Kvitova, the fourth and latest to qualify for the eight-player season finale, beat local favourite Peng Shuai 6-4 6-2 to set up a third round clash with Venus Williams.
Fourth seed Sharapova was the first through to the quarter-finals in Beijing after beating Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1 7-6(3).
Results from the China Open Women’s Singles matches on Wednesday
Round 3
4-Maria Sharapova (Russia) beat Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) 6-1 7-6(3)
Round 2
Alize Cornet (France) beat Lauren Davis (U.S.) 6-2 6-1
Samantha Stosur (Australia) beat 6-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) 6-4 7-6(9)
3-Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) beat Peng Shuai (China) 6-4 6-2
