Zhang, Pliskova advance in Malaysia

Published January 08, 2015

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (SportsNetwork.com) - A pair of top-three seeds, Zhang Shuai and reigning champion Karolina Pliskova, were among Tuesday's first-round winners at the Malaysian Open tennis event.

The second-seeded Zhang overcame fellow Chinese Zheng Saisai 2-6, 6-2, 6-2, while the third-seeded Pliskova pasted Serb Aleksandra Krunic 6-2, 6-2 at Bukit Kiara Equestrian and Country Resort.

The Czech Pliskova topped American Bethanie Mattek-Sands in last year's Kuala Lumpur finale.

Day 2 upsets came when Turkey's Cagla Buyukakcay was leading fifth-seeded Japanese Kimiko Date-Krumm 5-3 in the first set when the 43-year-old Date- Krumm retired and Ukrainian qualifier Lyudmyla Kichenok took out eighth-seeded Japanese Ayumi Morita 6-4, 6-2.

In other action involving seeds, No. 4 Austrian Patricia Mayr-Achleitner got past Japanese qualifier Eri Hozumi 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, No. 6 Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan drubbed oft-injured Greek Eleni Daniilidou 6-2, 6-2, and No. 7 Croat Donna Vekic fought back to dismiss Taipei's Yung-Jan Chan 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Additional opening-round wins came for Pole Magda Linette, wild card Ling Zhang of Hong Kong, Chinese qualifier Duan Ying-Ying, Slovenian Tadeja Majeric, Taipei's Su-Wei Hsieh, Italian qualifier Giulia Gatto-Monticone, and Czech Kristyna Pliskova, the twin sister of Karolina. Hsieh titled here two years ago.

On Wednesday, top-seeded Australian Open runner-up Dominika Cibulkova will open her Kuala Lumpur stay against Turkish qualifier Pemra Ozgen.

This week's titlist will earn $43,000.

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