Djokovic, Sharapova win, but Radwanska falls in China
Wednesday, 1 October 2014
BEIJING, Sept 30 (AFP): World number one men's player Novak Djokovic powered through his opening game of the $5.4 million China Open Tuesday following a shaky start, while five-times Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova also won.
The men's third seed in Beijing, Tomas Berdych, joins Djokovic in the second round after winning his game, but it was heartbreak for women's world number six Agnieszka Radwanska, who became the highest seed to tumble so far.
Djokovic made an emphatic start to a tournament he has a 100 percent record in, defeating Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 6-2, 6-1 in just 63 minutes.
But the Serb took a while to get into his stride, trading a series of serves with his opponent early on before regaining his composure and sealing the set.
The reigning China Open champion will face Canadian Vasek Pospisil in the next round as he bids for his fifth title in Beijing, a tournament he has won every year since 2009, apart from 2011 when he did not take part.
Meanwhile world number six Berdych eased past Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 6-1, 6-2.
Berdych, a former winner in Beijing in 2011, is chasing points as he pushes to qualify for the ATP World Tour Finals in November.