Johanna Konta beats Zhang Shuai to reach last 16 at Wuhan Open
Britain’s Johanna Konta beat Zhang Shuai of China in straight sets to reach the last 16 at the Wuhan Open.
Konta, seeded 11th, won 6-3 6-3 and goes on to face Spanish seventh seed Carla Suarez Navarro in round three.
Another victory would see the 26-year-old Briton match last year’s run to the quarter-finals in Wuhan.
Konta remains on course to face Germany’s Angelique Kerber in the last eight after the world number one beat Kristina Mladenovic 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 6-4.
Kerber will play Petra Kvitova in the third round following the Czech 14th seed’s 6-3 6-1 win over Elina Svitolina.
“I was trying to find my rhythm because I was not playing my best in the first set,” said Kerber, who had a bye in the first round and was playing her first match as number one.
Sixth seed Venus Williams and eighth seed Madison Keys also made it through to the last 16.