Wed, October 05, 2011
Zheng Jie of China reacts during the second round match of women's singles against Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland at 2011 China Open Tennis Tournament in Beijing, capital of China, on Oct. 5, 2011. Zheng Lost 0-2. (Xinhua/Gong Lei)
BEIJING, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Home singles players' advance in the China Open WTA tournament finally came to a halt when the former Wimbledon and Australian Open semifinalst Zheng Jie lost to Agnieszka Radvanska of Poland in second round on Wednesday.
Zheng showed battling qualities in the second set but still came up short against the world number 12 Radvanska, losing at 6-1, 6-4.
The local female players did not have good fortunes in the event when five of them, led by French Open champion and world number six Li Na, bundled out of the elite tournament in the opening round and left Zheng the sole home player in the next round.
Zheng, who made last four at Wimbledon in 2008 and 2010 Australian Open, survived the first round by rallying past Italian Alberta Brianti, but playing both singles and doubles seemed to exhaust her as she looked rusty when taking on the 22-year-old Pole.
Radvanska, who has just been crowned at Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo a week ago, had total control in the opening set, securing two breaks to claim at 6-1.
The second set saw a much grittier Zheng and the partisan fans in the newly built National Tennis Stadium hailed the 28-year-old in a frenzy way. But all did no good to help Zheng, a once No. 15, but now ranked 72nd in the world.
Zheng did notch up a break in the second set, but Radvanska, the 2009 China Open runner-up, had two to outclass Zheng before rounding up the match lasting just one hour and 17 minutes.
Zheng Jie of China reacts during the second round match of women's singles against Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland at 2011 China Open Tennis Tournament in Beijing, capital of China, on Oct. 5, 2011. Zheng Lost 0-2. (Xinhua/Gong Lei)
Zheng Jie of China reacts during the second round match of women's singles against Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland at 2011 China Open Tennis Tournament in Beijing, capital of China, on Oct. 5, 2011. Zheng Lost 0-2. (Xinhua/Gong Lei)
Zheng Jie of China returns the ball during the second round match of women's singles against Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland at 2011 China Open Tennis Tournament in Beijing, capital of China, on Oct. 5, 2011. Zheng Lost 0-2. (Xinhua/Gong Lei)
