Sam Stosur has momentarily silenced her naysayers by eliminating world No.8 Caroline Wozniacki from the China Open a hard-fought straight sets victory.
Stosur pulled out the 6-4 7-6 (11-9) win behind a sharp service game, jeopardising a distraught Wozniacki’s chances of qualifying for the year-ending WTA Finals in Singapore.
The Australian former US Open champion looked near her best, breaking her Danish opponent in the seventh game to help lock up the first set. A gutsy effort saw Stosur save five set points to win a thrilling second set tiebreaker in front an Aussie friendly audience in Beijing.
Stosur trumped the former world No.1 with 32 winners to 14 and will face 21st seed Alize Cornet in the third round, who easily ousted Lauren Davis 6-2 6-1.
The win ended a less than spectacular past few months for the 30-year-old, including early exits on Chinese soil at the Guangzhou International and last week’s Wuhan Open.
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic cruised to a 21st straight win with an 85-minute 6-3, 7-5 victory over Vasek Pospisil.
The world No.1 remains undefeated at the China Open in a bid to claim his fifth title at the Beijing tournament.
“You work all your life and you dream about becoming the No.1 in the world, the best in what you do,” Djokovic said.
“It’s definitely always the highest priority out there with winning Grand Slams.
“That gives me plenty of motivation. It would mean, of course, a lot to me. That’s why I’m out here in Beijing and Shanghai, competing and trying to get that year-end No1.”
Photo: Feng Li/Getty Images
