Wickmayer advances at Nanjing Ladies Open

NANJING, China, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- No. 2-seeded Yanina Wickmayer, seeking her first title in nearly four years, won in straight sets Thursday in a Nanjing Ladies Open second-round match.

Wickmayer's most recent title came in January 2010 at the ASB Classic in New Zeeland. She's made four finals since then -- twice at the ASB Classic -- but dropped them all in straight sets.

She's the highest seed left in the WTA's 125K-level tournament in Nanjing and advanced Thursday with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Wang Yafan. Wickmayer had three breaks in each set.

Fourth-seeded Ayumi Morita survived a 3-hour marathon for a 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (12-10), 6-4 decision over Petra Martic. Each play had two breaks in the first set and one in the second but Morita converted 2-of-6 break chances in the third for the win.

Qualifier Jarmila Gajdosova ousted No. 6-seeded Misaki Doi 6-3, 6-4 by handling 12 of the 13 break points Doi had. Gajdosova went 10-of-10 against break points in the first set.

Wang Qiang got by Duan Ying-Ying in an all-Chinese second-rounder. Wang cashed in both of her third-set break opportunities to seal the win.

Wickmayer meets Anna-Lena Friedsam and third-seeded Zhang Shuai takes on Zheng Saisai in quarterfinals in one half of the draw. Morita goes against No. 8-seeded Anna Schmiedlova and Wang plays Gajdosova in Friday's other quarterfinals.