China's Zhang Shuai returns the ball against Mona Barthel of Germany during their women's singles first round match of China Open Tennis Tournament at National Tennis Center in Beijing, capital of China on Oct. 4, 2015. Zhang Shuai lost 0-2. (Xinhua/Li Wen)
BEIJING, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese girls, Zhang Shuai, Han Xinyun and Zheng Saisai, crashed out at the first round of the China Open on Sunday, leaving Wang Qiang the only local representation in the women's singles second round.
Top seed Simona Halep handed qualifier Lara Arruabarrena an easy win after retiring with left ankle injury.
In their both first-round encounters in the Australian Open and US Open last year, Zhang Shuai lost to Germany's Mona Barthel in straight sets. Facing the same opponent in Beijing, Zhang still found it hard to gain the upper hand and eventually lost 6-3, 6-2.
"Losing the match is, of course, less satisfactory," said Zhang. "But the good thing is that I can find myself on court during the match. I was playing at my highest level, even though the result was not showing it."
Compared with Zhang, wild card player Han Xinyun showed her toughness in front of 2015 US Open title holder Flavia Pennetta in the first set, where Han lost 7-5.
Han made a strong comeback in the second with a 6-4 win, before Pennetta took advantage of her experience to seal the third set, 6-4.
"I had some chances, but I was not very confident on court, including at those key moments. I felt that I was not experienced as my opponent," commented Han.
World No. 65 Zheng Saisai was defeated by French player Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-2.
Wang Qiang saw off left-handed Varvara Lepchenko 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 on Saturday to continue Chinese girls's hopes on home court.
After trailing by 4-5 in the first set, world second-ranked Halep of Romania retired due to left ankle injury.
"I thought that it was getting better and I could play, but I don't want to force it," explained Halep.
In another upset of the China Open on Sunday, second seed Petra Kvitova went down to Italian Sara Errani 7-5, 6-4.
"It was kind of the game which I really had to be ready physically and mentally, and I just wasn't," Kvitova said of her frustration.
In women's doubles first round, China's Liang Chen and Wang Yafan beat Belinda Bencic and Barbora Strycova 4-6, 6-1, 11-9.
The men's singles and doubles matches will kick off on Monday.
