Men’s top seed Novak Djokovic maintained his perfect China Open record but Caroline Woz-niacki’s hopes of qualifying for the year-ending WTA Finals in Singapore took a hit after she crashed out yesterday.
World number one Djokovic needed 85 minutes to overcome Canadian Vasek Pospisil 6-3 7-5 in the second round and extend his China Open record to 21-0.
Djokovic, eyeing a fifth title at Beijing, broke the big-serving Pospisil four times and lost only six points on his first serve in a dominant display that boosted his hopes of securing the year-end number one ranking.
“You work all your life and you dream about becoming the No. 1 in the world, the best in what you do,” Djokovic said.
“It’s definitely always the highest priority out there with winning Grand Slams.
“That gives me plenty of motivation. It would mean, of course, a lot to me,” said Djokovic.
“That’s why I’m out here in Beijing and Shanghai, competing and trying to get that year-end No. 1.”
Rain washed out play on the outer courts, where seeded players including Tomas Berdych and Grigor Dimitrov are scheduled to play.
Bulgarian Dimitrov will meet Djokovic if he goes past Spaniard Pablo Andujar in the second round today.
In the women’s section, Australian Samantha Stosur showed flashes of her old brilliance to beat Wozniacki 6-4 7-6 in their second round encounter.
Wozniacki needed to win the Beijing title to definitely qualify for Singapore but was troubled by the sharp-serving Stosur, who broke her in the seventh game to claim the first set and saved five set points in the tiebreak before closing it out.
Wozniacki can still qualify for Singapore this week, if Angelique Kerber does not reach the quarter-finals and Ekaterina Makarova falls before the final.
Stosur’s third round opponent will be Alize Cornet who outplayed Lauren Davis 6-2 6-1.
Third seed Petra Kvitova, the fourth and latest to qualify for the eight-player season finale, beat local favourite Peng Shuai 6-4 6-2 to set up a third round clash with Venus Williams.
Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Simona Halep are the other three players guaranteed spots in Singapore.
Fourth seed Sharapova was the first through to the quarter-finals in Beijing after beating Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1 7-6.