Wang Qiang is China’s sole representative in the women’s tennis singles event. (Photo : Xinhua)
China’s sole representative in the women’s tennis singles event, Wang Qiang, has reached the second round of the U.S. Open.
The 23-year-old bested Greece's Maria Sakkari in straight sets, 7-5, 6-2, and will face Barbara Strycova of the Czech Republic in round 2.
Second seed Simona Halep of Romania will also advance after her opponent, Marina Erakovic of New Zealand, retired due to injury.
"So here I came very confident, of course, because I feel the game, I feel pretty well the game, but still I have no expectations. I play better when I don't think about results. I play better when I feel a little bit of pressure, because I'm very focused always," she said.
"Now it's in the middle. I feel pressure, but still I have no expectations. So I feel great, and I just want to take match by match."
Meanwhile, sixth-seeded Czech Lucie Safarova is the latest seed to be given an early exit from the U.S. Open after losing to the 37th-ranked Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko, 6-4, 6-1.
"I mean it's very disappointing because obviously I wanted to be 100-percent for the U.S. Open, for the Grand Slam and it's very unfortunate that it happened at the last minute like that," Safarova said.
"But that's sport. It happens. Injuries come and go. It's just a bad timing. And Lesia played very well today and even though I tried very hard, if you are not 100 percent you just cannot, cannot win these days," she added.
In the men's side, five-time champion Roger Federer has moved on to the second round, beating Argentina's Leonardo Mayer in straight sets.
Croatia's Marin Cilic has started the defense of his U.S. Open title with straight sets victory against the 94th-ranked qualifier Guido Pella of Argentina.
Other competitors including American John Isner, Dominic Thiem from Austria and Andrey Rublev of Russia have also progressed.
