WTA Beijing Open: Ana Ivanovic vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova

Ana Ivanovic faces a tricky second round contest against Svetlana Kuznetsova on Monday at the China Open.

Ana Ivanovic only managed to get 55 percent of her first serves within the lines on Sunday, but that didn’t stop her from cruising through the first round of the China Open. The Serb left the court with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Kimiko Date-Krumm, and the result never seemed to be in doubt.

Ivanovic will need to be prepared for a bigger challenge on Monday though, as she’s scheduled to take on Svetlana Kuznetsova in the second round. Kuznetsova is the sixteenth seed here, and is certainly capable of reaching the latter stages. The Russian swept aside Alexandra Dulgheru in round two, clinching a retirement win whilst 6-2, 4-1 up.

Kuznetsova won her most recent matchup against Ivanovic (Fed Cup, 2010), but Ivanovic had beaten her four times in a row prior to this tie. It looks like Monday’s clash could go either way, and it’s not easy to pick a favourite. This should be an exciting contest, and there’s a good chance that we’ll see three sets played between these two competitors.