In an electrifying start to the Wuhan Open, Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva showcased her formidable skills by defeating China's Zhang Shuai with a decisive 6-4, 6-4 victory on Tuesday.
The first set saw Putintseva take early control, securing two crucial breaks and leading 5-2. Although Zhang valiantly responded by breaking back to narrow the gap to one game, Putintseva maintained her momentum, converting another break point to clinch the set.
Undeterred, Putintseva continued her aggressive play in the second set. She capitalized on a break point from the outset and impressively held 80% of her first serves throughout the match. This consistent performance allowed her to seal the second set with the same 6-4 scoreline.
With this win, Putintseva advances to face Croatia's Donna Vekic, the No. 15 seed and 2024 Paris Olympic silver medalist, setting the stage for an exciting next round matchup.
Reference(s):
Home players Zhang Shuai, Wang Xiyu exit Wuhan Open in first round
cgtn.com