Ostapenko into second round, Kvitova crashes out at China Open

BEIJING - Latvian player Jelena Ostapenko edged out Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia 6-4, 7-6(3) to advance to the second round at 2018 China Open here on Saturday, while fifth seeded Petra Kvitova was knocked out in the first round.

The competition between the 12th seed Jelena Ostapenko and Magdalena Rybarikova was tense and eye-catching. The scores had been rather close ever since the game began. Ostapenko, the reigning French Open champion, enjoyed a good start to have first set 6-4. Being tied from three-all to six-all, the match became fairly intense. Ostapenko finally won the tie-break before crumbling in the third set.

"Today at the beginning of the competition, I am not very consistent, that is the main thing I was fighting against myself probably," Ostapenko said after the match. "I really enjoy my time here, and still this season has not over, I am trying to perform as good as I can."

Petra Kvitova and Daria Gavrilova were old rivals since they had already played four times before with a head-to-head record of 2-2. On Saturday's match, Gavrilova stunned Kvitova in straight sets 6-2, 6-1 to secure her place in second round.

Aleksandra Krunic of Salvia beat No 6 seed Elina Svitolina 0-6, 6-4, 7-6(4), and Danielle Collins of United States defeated Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Besides, Ukraine's Lyudmyla Kichenok and Slovenia's Katarina Srebotnik won out over Japanese duo Miyu Katoin and Makoto Ninomiya in women's doubles first round.