The China Open claimed its first high-profile victims yesterday with Britain’s Johanna Konta and Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia falling to surprise defeats in the first round. The sixth seed Konta, who reached last year’s final, appeared woefully short of confidence in getting thrashed by Romania’s unseeded Monica Niculescu 6-1, 6-2.
Konta exited soon after Kuznetsova - the seventh seed on the Beijing outdoor hard courts - was beaten by Lara Arruabarrena, the Spanish qualifier stunning her better-known opponent 6-7 (2/7), 7-5, 6-1.
Konta’s humbling in just 64 minutes was her fifth loss on the spin as her season disintegrates and threatens her place at the WTA Finals Singapore.
The Briton, who racked up 38 unforced errors, wore a haunted look as she trudged off court.
“I was just like a wall there,” crowed Niculescu, the world-ranked 65 whose awkward style Konta – ranked seven – never got to grips with.
“My slices were very low, my backhand was deep and high. This how I wanted to play and it was perfect today.”
Caroline Wozniacki had a fright against a local favourite before she composed herself to go through 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-1.
The Dane, ranked six in the world, made an early exit from the Wuhan Open last week.
She appeared determined to put that behind her in making a lightning-fast start in the Chinese capital, punishing China’s Wang Qiang in the first set. But if the fifth seed thought she was going to have it easy, she was mistaken, as the 55th-ranked Wang harnessed the support of the crowd to fight back. The 25-year-old Wang sprang a surprise in taking the second set on the tie break to level the match.
But former number one Wozniacki, the 2010 China Open champion, regained her poise to seal the deciding set with ease. The 27-year-old faces Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia in round two.
Also through is reigning China Open champion Agnieszka Radwanska, who defeated the German qualifier Carina Witthoeft 7-5, 6-3.

Goffin tastes glory at Shenzhen Open
 It was seventh time lucky for David Goffin after the Belgian beat Alexandr Dolgopolov over three sets to win the Shenzhen Open on Sunday.
The world number 12 Goffin tasted defeat in his last six finals, a bitter run stretching back to 2014.
But the 26-year-old made up for three years of disappointment with a determined display against the Ukrainian Dolgopolov to seal the title 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 in just over two hours in southern China.
He adds the Shenzhen trophy to the two he won in 2014 in Metz, France and Kitzbuehel in Austria. “This one is really special because you know it’s always tough to come back from injuries,” said Goffin, who retired from the French Open and missed Wimbledon with an ankle injury. 
“I cannot be happier today.”