GUANGZHOU, China - All four seeds in second round action were sent home from the Landsky Lighting Guangzhou International Women's Open on Wednesday.
Arguably the biggest name in the draw provided the most significant upset, as Sania Mirza eliminated No.3 seed Akgul Amanmuradova, 64 63. The Indian has fallen on hard times during an injury-plagued 2010, and she has even been ranked outside the Top 100 for the past three months. However, she is on a recent hot streak, winning three qualifying and one main draw match at the US Open and two matches so far here this week.
"I'm really pleased, especially because of whom I beat, because Akgul is playing very well," Mirza said. "I feel like I'm getting better every day and I hope I can continue this form. I feel blessed to be playing tennis again and I just want to keep building. I've been working pretty hard and it's starting to pay off."
"It was a hot day today and Sania is one of those tricky opponents you can get in the second round," Amanmuradova said. "She is not seeded but is very good and coming back from injury. She played well today. I had my chances in the first set but didn't use them and in the second set I didn't feel well in the heat. She played aggressive and deserved to win today."
The day's other upsets saw wildcard Han Xinyun down fifth-seeded Chang Kai-Chen, 16 62 64, Maria Elena Camerin upend seventh-seeded Alberta Brianti, 64 36 64, and Zhang Shuai rout eighth-seeded Chanelle Scheepers, 61 60. Han had never won a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour main draw match in her six years as a pro, but now has two this week. As for Camerin, this was her first win in four career clashes with her fellow Italian. And Zhang also has two match victories this week after having none in a Tour main draw since she knocked off Dinara Safina in Beijing last October, when she became the lowest-ranked player in Tour history to beat a No.1-ranked player.
The only two seeds left in the draw will play their second round matches Thursday, No.1 seed Jarmila Groth taking on Tamarine Tanasugarn and No.4 seed Ayumi Morita playing Edina Gallovits.
