Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber suffered a shock exit to world No 45 Zhang Shuai at the China Open on Thursday.
China’s Zhang produced a 6-1 2-6 6-0 win over the German world No 3, much to the delight of the home crowd, over three thrilling sets to set up a tantalising quarter-final with US Open champion Naomi Osaka on Friday.
Kerber, a three-time Grand Slam champion, said that she had been troubled by a knee injury in the see-saw battle but refused to blame that for the defeat to the unseeded Zhang.
“I was not feeling the best at the beginning of the match, but then I was playing better and better,” the 30-year-old said.
“At the end she played a good third set – she took her chances and played a really solid match.”
Following Simona Halep’s first-round withdrawal with injury, second seed Caroline Wozniacki is the highest-ranked player left in the tournament and she booked her quarter-final spot with a tight 7-5 6-4 win over Anett Kontaveit.
The victory, paired with Halep and Kerber’s early exits, means Wozniacki is now favourite to lift her third WTA title of the year after wins at the Australian Open and Eastbourne International in January and June respectively.
World No 6 Osaka, meanwhile, maintained her strong form since her maiden Grand Slam title by crushing Julia Goerges 6-1 6-2.
The Japanese 20-year-old made a slow start – saving a break point and enduring five deuces in the eight-minute first game – but she broke Goerges’ serve in the next game and raced to 5-0.
Eighth seed Osaka won four consecutive points on Goerges’ serve to open the second set and rolled on to a straight-sets victory.
Belarus’ 20-year-old Aryna Sabalenka shocked reigning China Open champion and fourth seed Caroline Garcia 5-7 7-6 (7-3) 6-0 while unseeded home favourite Wang Qiang continued her impressive run by beating world No 7 Karolina Pliskova 6-4 6-4.
