BEIJING
\nCarlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev both won in straight sets to launch their China Open title bids on Friday while 595th-ranked Zhang Shuai pulled off a big shock in the women\u2019s draw.
\nFour-time major champion Alcaraz defeated fellow 21-year-old Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 6-4 and faces Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands in round two in Beijing.
\nAlcaraz, who went out in the second round of the US Open last month, made a blistering start against the 51st-ranked Frenchman by breaking serve in the first game. The Spanish second seed then faced three break points as he served for the first set, but he saved them all on the way to wrapping up the set in style.
\n\u201cSaving three break points and be able to close the first set, it was really important for me,\u201d he said.
\nAlcaraz started the second set in exactly the same way, breaking his opponent, and sealed a comfortable victory on his first match point.
\nThe only sour point for the Spaniard was when he was given a second time violation as he served for the first set.
\n\u201cI was a little bit mad about it,\u201d he said.
\nRussian third seed Medvedev, who lost last year\u2019s final to current number one Jannik Sinner, eased past veteran Gael Monfils.
\nThe 2021 US Open champion defeated the 38-year-old 6-3, 6-4 and faces another Frenchman in Adrian Mannarino in round two on Saturday. The Italian Sinner, fresh from winning the US Open, plays 69th-ranked Russian Roman Safiullin on the same day.
\nChinese wildcard entry Zhang, who on Wednesday won her first singles match in more than 600 days, stunned US Open semi-finalist Emma Navarro 6-4, 6-2.
\nThe 35-year-old Zhang is into round three despite being the lowest-ranked player to ever compete in the main draw of the WTA 1000 event.
\nZhang, who has won two Grand Slam doubles titles, made it successive victories by dismantling the American sixth seed Navarro in front of her joyous home crowd.
\nZhang, a former top 25 player who has been plagued by injury, faces Belgium\u2019s Greet Minnen next.
\n\u201cAnother great win for my career because everybody knows I have gone a long time not winning a singles match,\u201d said Zhang.
\nShe seemed as stunned as anybody that she had beaten Navarro, who was a hot favourite having reached the last four in New York just a few weeks ago.
\n\u201cI like to give everybody a surprise,\u201d Zhang said with a smile.
\nAlso into the third round is US Open finalist Jessica Pegula after the world number three from the United States beat Diane Parry of France 6-1, 7-6 (7-4).
\nNaomi Osaka joined her as the four-time Grand Slam champion and former number one fought back to defeat 21st seed Yulia Putintseva 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
\n\u201cI wanted to show myself or tell myself that I can fight and win a match without playing as perfect as I wanted to,\u201d said Osaka, now ranked 73 and yet to win a tournament since returning to tennis in January following the birth of her daughter Shai.
\nThe 26-year-old Japanese is playing her first tournament under Serena Williams\u2019 renowned former coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
\n\u201cHe\u2019s very confident in my abilities and that in turn makes me very confident,\u201d she said, adding: \u201cHe\u2019s surprisingly very strict, and it works for me.\u201d
\nOsaka next plays 60th-ranked American Katie Volynets.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BEIJING Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev both won in straight sets to launch their China Open title bids on Friday while 595th-ranked Zhang Shuai pulled off a big shock in the women\u2019s draw. Four-time major champion Alcaraz defeated fellow 21-year-old Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 6-4 and faces Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands in round two […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":434190,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-434179","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n