In the WTA 1000 China Open held in Beijing, the third seed Amanda Anisimova demonstrated her dominance by overwhelming British player Katie Boulter in the second round. Anisimova, a finalist at both Wimbledon and the US Open, secured a swift 6-1, 6-3 victory, dropping only four games throughout the match. Boulter, who peaked at 23rd in the rankings last year, has faced a tough season overshadowed by injuries and fluctuating confidence, causing her current ranking to slip to 54.
Boulter’s journey to this stage included a hard-fought first-round win against fellow American Hailey Baptiste, where she emerged victorious with a score of 7-5, 5-7, 6-4. However, against Anisimova, she struggled significantly, contributing to her defeat with seven double-faults. The match lasted one hour and nineteen minutes, concluding with a stunning cross-court backhand winner from Anisimova on her third match point.
After her victory, Anisimova expressed her enthusiasm for returning to Beijing, stating, “I love playing here, and I really like the city.” She remarked on the support from her fans and her aspirations to progress deep into the tournament.
Next up for Anisimova is a match against local wild-card Zhang Shuai, who surprised the 31st seed Wang Xinyu with a 6-4, 6-2 victory.
Meanwhile, defending champion Coco Gauff kicked off her title defense successfully with a straight-sets win over Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova, finishing 6-4, 6-0. Gauff, who had to save eight break points in a challenging first set, found her rhythm in the second half of the match, sealing the win with an ace. Gauff will now face the 25th seed Leylah Fernandez, who posted an emphatic 6-2, 6-0 win against former top-10 player Maria Sakkari.
In other notable matches, sixth seed Jasmine Paolini continued her fine form with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Anastasija Sevastova, overcoming early challenges with strong service games. Paolini will compete against Sofia Kenin next, who advanced after defeating Polina Kudermetova. Eighth seed Elena Rybakina faced a tougher test, needing three sets to overcome Caty McNally, where she battled through 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 while managing 68 unforced errors and taking a medical timeout for her shoulder. Rybakina’s next opponent will be Eva Lys of Germany.
Barbora Krejcikova caused an upset by beating ninth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-5, 6-2, marking her third Top 20 win this year, and progressed to face American McCartney Kessler. Other Czech players, including 13th seed Karolina Muchova, continued their successful runs, with Muchova defeating Sorana Cirstea.
As the tournament progresses, the anticipation builds with star players contending against each other in a showcase of high-level tennis, marking a significant stop on the WTA calendar in the vibrant city of Beijing.
