WUHAN, China (AP) — Maria Sharapova was knocked out of the Wuhan Open by Swiss qualifier Timea Bacsinszky 7-6 (3), 7-5 in the third round on Wednesday.
Sharapova double-faulted six times in the first set, and was twice a break up in the second set, but couldn’t shake off Bacsinszky, who earned the biggest win of her career with a win over the Russian ranked No. 4 in the world. Bacsinszky had two previous top-10 wins, the last in 2010, but both were by retirement.
“She had a really good serving day,” Sharapova said of Bacsinszky. “I don’t think I did much on my returns, something that’s a strength of mine, and I just didn’t feel like I used that to my advantage.”
Caroline Wozniacki, who has reached the finals of her last two tournaments, the U.S. Open then Pan Pacific Open last weekend, dismissed Casey Dellacqua of Australia 6-0, 6-3 and will meet Bacsinszky.
A day after advancing at the expense of an ill Serena Williams, Alize Cornet of France reached the quarterfinals by defeating Belgian wild card Kirsten Flipkens 7-6 (4), 1-6, 6-3. Flipkens led 3-1 in the last set.
The sixth-seeded Eugenie Bouchard lined up Cornet after beating Alison Riske of the United States 6-2, 6-3.
World No. 3 Petra Kvitova won her first meeting with fellow Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. Kvitova lost her serve once in the last set but wore down Pliskova.
Kvitova moved on to play Caroline Garcia of France, a 6-3, 6-2 winner against CoCo Vandeweghe of the U.S.
No. 7-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany eased past Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-1, and set up a quarterfinal against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, who received a walkover when Garbine Muguruza of Spain couldn’t compete due to gastroenteritis.
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