Seeds Tumble as Williams and Garcia Bow Out of Hong Kong

Hong Kong—Tennis Open 2016

Bethanie Mattek-Sands, of the USA serves to Caroline Garcia of France during their 2nd round match at the Hong Kong Open, at Victoria Park Stadium on Thursday Oct 13. Mattek-Sands won the match in 3 sets to move into the quarter finals where she will play Kristina Mladenovic also of France. Bill Cox/Epoch Times

HONG KONG—Two upset victories for unseeded players on Thursday evening, suddenly made the Hong Kong Open, look very open.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands, of the USA, with a WTA ranking of 199, powered her way to a 3 set victory, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 over number 6 seed, Caroline Garcia of France. Both players were inconsistent, especially on service, but Mattek-Sands had the edge when it mattered, and her more disciplined forehand and passing shots gave her a deserved but unexpected victory.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands, of the USA plays a forehand to Caroline Garcia of France during their 2nd round match at the Hong Kong Open, on Thursday Oct 13. Mattek-Sands won the match in 3 sets to move into the quarter finals. Bill Cox/Epoch Times

Then late in the evening, a stunned Centre Court crowd watched Alize Cornet restore French pride, with a surprising three set victory over number two seed, Venus Williams 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. In sets one and three Cornet romped to an early lead, with the service break, and never lost momentum. Those early breaks made all the difference, and she, not Venus, now plays Jelena Jankovic in the quarter-final.

This was catch-up Thursday, when matches delayed by the rain yesterday needed to be squeezed into today’s schedule. The organizers had immediate, but disappointing assistance, with the number 3 seed, Johanna Konta announcing her withdrawal due to injury, which gave Qiang Wang of China an easy passage to the quarter-final.

In the matches carried forward from Wednesday, Australian Daria Gavrilova, the 8 seed, completed victory over her Czech opponent Katerina Siniakova (WTA ranking 51) 6-2, 7-5. And Angelique Kerber, the number one seed, made short work of Louisa Chirico. The match resumed with Kerber leading 6-2, 3-6 and ahead in the third 2-1. Just one point made it 3-1, and she eased through the remainder of the set to win 6-2. She now faces Daria Gavrilova in the quarter-final.

Caroline Wazniacki of Denmark serves on her way to winning her 2nd round match against Heather Watson of Great Britain at the Hong Kong Open 2016, on Thursday Oct 13. Wazniacki will play Qiang Wang of China in the quarter finals. Bill Cox/Epoch Times

Caroline Wozniacki, the number 5 seed, dispensed with Heather Watson in two sets, 6-3, 6-3. Watson played an attractive and varied game, she made Wozniacki work hard for victory, and perhaps the best shots of the match belonged to Watson, but the consistency and accuracy of Wozniacki, particularly at break points, ensured the win, and quarter-final place was hers.

The unexpected line-up, including four unseeded players, for the quarter-finals is:

Angelique Kerber (1) vs Daria Gavrilova (8)

Kristina Mladenovic vs Bethanie Mattek-Sands

Caroline Wozniacki (5) vs Qiang Wang

Jelena Jankovic (7) vs Alize Cornet.   

 Grahame Carder is a sports enthusiast, former player and now resident in Hong Kong.