imageBEIJING: Russian two-time Grand Slam champion and second-seed Svetlana Kuznetsova breezed through her opening match at the WTA Tianjin Open on Monday, beating France's Pauline Parmentier 6-1, 6-3.

Meanwhile, China's Wang Yafan -- listed 125th in the world by the WTA -- clinched a surprise upset, eliminating sixth-seed Yulia Putintseva 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, despite the Kazakh ranking 91 places above her.

The other Chinese players fared less well.

Zhang Kai-Lin lost 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 to Croatia's Donna Vekic, while Tianjin native Duan Ying-Ying was defeated 6-4, 6-3 by Montenegrin Danka Kovinic.

2010 Wimbledon doubles winner Vania King of the US was knocked out by Chang Kai-Chen of Taiwan.

Lucie Hradecka and Andrea Hlavackova, the tournament's two Czech players, partnered up in doubles to win the 2011 French Open, the 2013 US Open, and a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics, but in Tianjin they faced off against each other, with Hradecka beating her compatriot 7-5, 6-4.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2016

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