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Beijing - 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.
Results from the WTA Tianjin Open in Tianjin on Monday (x denotes seeding):
Women's singles
First round
Chang Kai-Chen (TPE) bt Vania King (USA) 6-1, 6-2
Danka Kovinic (MNE) bt Duan Ying-Ying (CHN) 6-4, 6-3
Wang Yafan (CHN) bt Yulia Putintseva (KAZ x6) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Lucie Hradecka (CZE) bt Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) 7-5, 6-4
Donna Vekic (CRO) bt Zhang Kai-Lin (CHN) 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x2) bt Pauline Parmentier (FRA) 6-1, 6-3
