GUANGZHOU, China (AP) — Defending champion Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa cruised to a 6-0, 6-3 victory over Chinese wild-card entry Wang Qiang on Monday in the first round of the Guangzhou Open.
The 27-year-old Scheepers, who last year became the first South African woman in eight years to win a WTA title, needed 72 minutes to dispose of her opponent and set up a next-round meeting against 58th-ranked Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia.
Jovanovski also had an easy first-round win, beating Timea Babos of Hungary 6-1, 6-3.
Mandy Minella of Luxembourg had a tougher time in defeating Pauline Parmentier of France 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.