Alexander Dolgopolov. Photo: Reuters

Alexandr Dolgopolov continues winning ways at the Masters in Beijing.

In the second round match in a tense fight, he beat experienced Spaniard Feliciano Lopez. Start of play delayed due to rain, and then the game had moved into the hall.

In the first game struck up a stubborn fight. Already in the first game, Lopez had a break point, but Dolgopolova it managed to play. In General, opponents confidently enough played on the radio. The break point in the first game and remained the only one in the opening set.

Rivals the victory was played in tie-break. The Ukrainian took the first pitch of the Spaniard and that minimal advantage was dear to him until the eleventh drawing. There Alexander took another opponent’s serve and took the match 1:0.

But the start of the second party for Dolgopolov started shocking. In the first three games he didn’t win a single ball – 0:3. And only in the fourth game of the Ukrainian won the first balls, and they scored the first point of 1:3. However, Lopez got a taste of victory and the rest of the game dictated the terms. In the sixth game he made another break, giving Dolgopolova, only one ball, then the fate of the set was clear.

At the start of the final game the opponents exchanged breaks of 1:1. In the eighth game, the Ukrainian was a real chance to make another break. However, leading – 40:15, to extract the coveted point failed – 4:4.

And yet in the final two games Dolgopolov played superbly, giving the opponent only one ball – 6:4.

***

Having played just one single match at the International WTA tournament in the Chinese Tianjin, withdrew the second racket of Ukraine Lesya Tsurenko and two Kateryna – Bondarenko and Kozlov.

Seeded seventh Tsurenko unexpectedly, and even in two sets has conceded to the mistress of courts in’yan Duan. At the start of the match Lesia revealed problems with the flow. It is with great difficulty defended their goals in the first game, but the third snapped to 1:2. However, Tsurenko pretty quickly and bounced back. In the middle of the party she gave the break – 3:3 and it seemed that now the favourite of the match will be able to put the squeeze on the opponent. Alas, she was not afraid, and immediately went into action and scored another break to 4:3. Here Lesya led – 40:30, but lost three consecutive goals and gave the throw-in. The fate of the party was decided in the tenth game. The Chinese took the lead – 40:0 and though with difficulty, but this advantage was suddenly 6:4.

Second set Tsurenko started brilliantly with 4:0. And then the Ukrainian seemed to have changed. Error followed one another and Duan equalised to 4:4. Only then Tsurenko again found the strength to reverse the situation, but lasted only up to tie-breaks. When there is 2:2 the Chinese won five draws in a row and won a ticket to the second round. The match lasted 1 hour and 38 minutes. During this time, Tsurenko made three breaks, made two aces and three double faults. Before that, the rivals are not played.

Kateryna Bondarenko in the struggle gave Polke Mende Lynette. In the opening set Bondarenko went ahead 5:1, but then woke up polka. Winning two games in a row, Magda for a while revived the party intrigue. But not for long. The ninth drawing in the set. Katerina, winning all four goals, shut down the party – 6:3.

But then seized the initiative, Lynette. After five draws, she was ahead 4-1, but then Bondarenko tried to get back in the game – 3:4. But to defend the set of our tennis player has failed. Pole realized a hidden set point, and then perfectly played on his serve. – 1:1.

In the final instalment of a long time it was an equal fight until when – 5:5 Lynette does not work hidden matchball. One goal she has played, but the second Magda made the break to 6:5. To make a miracle from Bondarenko failed. In the twelfth game of the polka beat opponent by “zero” and reached the second round.

As for Kateryna Kozlova, it is in two sets without variants has conceded 280-th racket of the world, the Italian Sara Errani. 1 hour and 9 minutes, the Ukrainian managed to take only three points, so that about any fight speech was not.

Vladimir KOTSUR, Sport-Express in Ukraine

SHANGHAI (China). The ATP 1000. 8 092 $ 625. Open courts. Hard. 56 participants. 1/16 finals. Nadal (1, Spain) – Donaldson (USA) – 6:2, 6:1. Fonini (Italy) – Puja (15, France) – 7:6(7), 6:3. Querry (10, USA) – Tiafoe (Q, USA) – 6:3, 7:6(7). Dimitrov (6, Bulgaria) – Harrison (USA) – 3:6, 6:3, 7:6(6). Cilic (4, Croatia) – Edmund (UK) – 6:3, 7:6(5). Johnson (USA) – Di (WC, China) – 6:2, 6:1. Struff (Germany) Anderson (11, South Africa) – 7:6(5), 7:6(2). Ramos Vinolas (Spain) – Carreño (7, Spain) – 7:5, 7:5. Troicki (Serbia) – Tim (5, Austria) – 6:3, 3:6, 7:6(5). Isner (12, USA) – Ziziphus (Q, Greece) – 7:6(2), 7:6(9). del Potro (16, Argentina) – Rublev (Russia) – 6:3, 6:4. A. Zverev (3, Germany) – Bedene (UK) – 4:0 denial. Simon (France) – David Goffin (8, Belgium) – 7:6(4), 6:3. Gasquet (France) – Chung Yeun-Hee (Korea) – 3:6, 6:4, 6:3. DOLGOPOLOV (Q, Ukraine) – F. Lopez (Spain) – 7:6(4), 1:6, 6:4. Federer (2, Switzerland) – Schwartzman (Argentina) – 7:6(4), 6:4.

TIANJIN (China). The International WTA tournament. 450 000 dollars. Closed courts. Hard. 32 participants. 1/16 finals. Sharapova (WC, Russia) – Running (9, Romania) – 6:4, 6:2. Lynette (Poland) – K. BONDARENKO (Ukraine) – 3:6, 6:3, 7:5. The vögele (Q, Switzerland) – EN (USA) – 6:3, 6:3. Putintseva (8, Kazakhstan) – Davies (Q, USA) – 7:6(2), 4:6, 6:2. Peng Shuai (3, China) – Gao Han (Q, China) – 6:2, 7:6(5). Wang Siyu (WC, China) – Kovinic (Montenegro) – 6:3, 7:6(8). Sorribes (Spain) – Ar.Rodionova (Q, Australia) – 6:2, 6:7(3), 6:4. Van Yafang (China) – Risk (8, USA) – 6:3, 6:3. Sakari (6, Greece) – Liu Fango (WC, China) – 6:2, 6:1. McHale (USA) – hibino (Japan) – 6:3, 6:3. Errani (Q, Italy) – KOZLOVA (Ukraine) – 6:2, 6:1. Haddad Maia (Brazil) – Vekic (4, Croatia) – 6:7(4), 6:4, 6:2. Duan Yingying (China) – TSURENKO (7, Ukraine) – 6:4, 7:6(2). Sobolenko (Belarus) – Han Sinun (LL, China) – 6:3, 6:3. C Suvey (Taiwan) – Lu Jingjing (Q, China) – 6:2, 6:2. Zhu Lin (China) – Kvitova (2, Czech Republic) – 6:4, 5:7, 6:4.