• WTA

Azarenka cruises as Kvitova falls

ESPN staff
October 1, 2012
Victoria Azarenka was a comfortable winner at the China Open © PA Photos
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Victoria Azarenka blazed into the second round of the China Open with a dominant victory over Alize Cornet.

The world No. 1, who was forced to withdraw from the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo last week after suffering bouts of dizziness, was back to her belligerent best as she powered to a 6-1 6-0 win.

Azarenka, who suffered an agonising defeat to Serena Williams in the US Open final last month, needed a shade over an hour to complete the victory as Cornet won just 11 points on her serve.

The Australian Open champion will face Sabine Lisicki in the second round after the German beat Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-3 5-7 6-2.

Petra Kvitova crashed out at the second round stage after she was beaten in straight sets by Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro. The Czech won just 46 per cent of points on serve as she slumped to a 6-3 6-2 defeat.

There was no such trouble for Maria Sharapova, who earned a 7-5 7-5 victory over Simona Halep. Sharapova will face another Romanian in the shape of Sorana Cirstea after the world No. 29 defeated Sofia Arvidsson 6-2 6-3.

Caroline Wozniacki rarely takes the simple route these days, and so it proved again as she needed two hours and 46 minutes to get past Chanelle Scheepers 7-5 6-7(6) 6-2.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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