Illness forces Bartoli out in China

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GUANGZHOU, China, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- No. 1-seeded Marion Bartoli bowed out of her first-round match at the Guangzhou International Women's Open in China due to illness.

Bartoli was down 3-4 to Chang Kai-Chen when she said she couldn't continue because of gastrointestinal illness. That allowed Chang to advance to the second round.

Two other matches Tuesday were cut short by illness. Second-seeded Zheng Jie was up 5-3 when Chan Yung-Jan retired after reporting being dizzy and eighth-seeded Alize Cornet had built a 6-3, 1-1 lead before Alexandra Panova stopped play because of heat-related illness.

Third-seeded Sorana Cirstea defeated Hu Yue-Yue 6-2, 7-5, despite dropping serve four times while No. 4-seeded Urszula Radwanska got by Melinda Czink 7-6 (7-1), 6-2 and seventh-seeded Peng Shuai advanced with a 7-6 (7-3), 6-0 decision over Ayumi Morita.

Mathilde Johansson battled for nearly 2 hours before upsetting sixth-seeded Monica Niculescu 7-5, 6-2. Johansson piled up six breaks in 10 receiving games.

Also advancing to the second round with wins Monday were Hsieh Su-Wei, Zheng Saisai, Olga Govortsova, Duan Ying-Ying and Nudnida Luangnam.