Former French Open finalist Simona Halep took less than 70 minutes to reach the third round of the Wuhan Open, advancing Monday when fellow Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu retired in the second set of their second-round match. The No. 4-seeded Halep was leading 6-3, 2-0 when Begu retired with a back injury amid warm and humid conditions. Halep, who skipped the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo last week because of a hamstring strain, had a first-round bye at Wuhan. Former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki also made a strong start. Wozniacki took two sets to secure her place in the second round. The 26-year-old Dane flew straight to Wuhan after Sunday's final where she dispatched Australian Samantha Stosur in two sets, winning 6-3, 6-2 on an ace. "I'm on a roll, so hopefully I can keep pushing myself and play well," she told reporters after the match. In first-round matches, 2014 champion Petra Kvitova opened with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Jelena Ostapenko and set up a meeting with Elina Svitolina, who rallied from a break down in the third set to beat Bethanie Mattek-Sands 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. "This was the fourth time we've played this season and I'm glad now it's 2-2," Kvitova said. "I know how difficult it can be to play her and how dangerous she is." No. 10-seeded Dominika Cibulkova had a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 win over Alize Cornet and Yulia Putintseva was leading 6-1, 4-1 when Anastasija Sevastova retired from their match. Johanna Konta, the 11th seed, had a 6-1, 6-2 win over Annika Beck, and Madison Brengle advanced after leading 6-3, 2-1 when British qualifier Heather Watson retired because of a stomach complaint. Top-seeded Angelique Kerber is in action Tuesday against Kristina Mladenovic, who had a 7-6 (5), 6-3 first-round win over CoCo Vandeweghe. Serena Williams, who was replaced by Kerber at No. 1 in the rankings with her run to the US Open title, has withdrawn from the tournaments in Wuhan and Beijing because of an injured right shoulder. Hibino, Nara win In Tashkent, Japan's Nao Hibino and Kurumi Nara were among the winners on the first day of main-draw play at the WTA Tashkent Open Monday as both beat junior players. Fourth-seeded Hibino, the reigning champion, had few problems beating 16-year-old Komola Umarova of Uzbekistan, winning 6-3, 6-1 in less than an hour. Nara, the fifth seed, defeated 16-year-old junior Wimbledon finalist Dayana Yastremska, 7-5, 6-2. Yastremska, of Ukraine, made Nara work for almost two hours for a 7-5, 6-2 win in which the Japanese player saved six of eight break points. The ninth-seeded Czech Denisa Allertova also advanced, beating Japanese qualifier Hiroko Kuwata 6-3, 6-4. Karlovic returns to Davis Cup Zeljko Krajan, Croatia's Davis Cup captain, says veteran Ivo Karlovic will return in the final against Argentina. Krajan said Monday that Karlovic's return "is the best possible news" for Croatia ahead of the best-of-five series to be played in Zagreb from Nov. 25 to Nov. 27. Krajan said: "Our chances now look much better. ... I think we are the favorites." A serve-and-volley specialist, Karlovic will fill the gap in the likely absence of Croatia's No. 2 player, Borna Coric, who underwent knee surgery. Marin Cilic will lead Croatia in the finals against Argentina and Juan Martin Del Potro. Karlovic, the 37-year-old ranked 20th, last played in the Davis Cup in 2012, facing Argentina in Buenos Aires. He has said he retired from the team competition to avoid injuries. — Agencies
