Aliaksandra Sasnovich vs Talia Gibson — R128 — China Open

Qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich beat Talia Gibson in straight sets in the first round of the China Open, breaking the Australian five times in nine return games. Gibson landed 52 percent of her first serves and won just 12 of 29 points behind her second. Three days earlier, Gibson had finished runner-up at the Singapore Tennis Open. The 22-year-old began the season ranked 118th and arrived in Beijing at a season-best WTA No. 37. The betting market made her only a narrow favorite over Sasnovich, who is ranked 121st and came in 4-6 on hard courts this season. Sasnovich broke in the first and third games to lead 3-0 and converted three of six break points in the opening set, while Gibson converted none of her four. Gibson made more of a contest of the second set, saving six of the eight break points she faced and breaking in the seventh game for a 4-3 lead, her only break of the match. Sasnovich broke straight back for 4-4 and again in the 10th game to finish.