Xinyun Han (Photo : Getty Images)
Chinese wild card qualifier Han Xinyun will face Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva in the second round of the 2016 Australian Open women's singles at Melbourne Park.
Han advanced into the next stage after her first round opponent Mariana Duque-Mariño withdrew early in the second set 6-2 2-1.
The 25-year-old Han, who won six singles and 19 doubles on the ITF tour in her career, will have to overcome Russian-born Putintseva, who stunned former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in their opener on Monday.
"I can't believe I won the match," Putintseva said, reports Yahoo Sports. "I was very nervous in the first set because I am not used to playing on such a big court. But then I got a bit more used to it."
Putintseva was romped up by Wozniacki in the first set, only winning one match. However, the 21-year-old was able to shake off her nervousness as she finished the Danish 1-6 7-6(3) 6-4.
Wozniacki said she should have capitalized the moment to finish off Putintseva, but admitted it was also her own fault that caused her crashing out at the first Grand Slam event of the year.
"It wasn't a pretty first set but I got it done and really should have closed it off in two," Wozniacki said, reports the event's official website. "You know, I let her back into the match, and it was basically my own fault that I'm not here as the winner."
Meanwhile, Han serves as the underdog in her second round match against Putintseva, but the 25-year-old Chinese could use her momentum to advance into the next round, where she could potentially face either Margarita Gasparyan of Russia or Kurumi Nara of Japan.
Catch the 2016 Australian Open action live at TennisTV with live scores and updates from the official website of the tournament.
