World number two Halep latest seed to fall in China

The Spanish 20-year-old smashed 34 winners as she beat the second seed 2-6 6-2 6-3 and set up a third-round meeting with Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, who battled back from a 5-0 first set deficit to edge Germany's Sabine Lisicki 7-6(3) 6-3.

(Reuters)

Halep, who lost in the final of the French Open to Maria Sharapova in June, has won only four matches in her last four events and joins a long line of seeds to fall at the opening stages of the $2.4 million hard court event.

Italian 11th seed Sara Errani was ousted by American Alison Riske 6-4 6-4 while Swiss qualifier Timea Bacsinszky defeated 13th seed and U.S. Open semi-finalist Ekaterina Makarova of Russia 6-4 6-1.

On Monday, fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska, ninth seed Ana Ivanovic, 12th seed Dominika Cibulkova, 14th seed Lucie Safarova and 15th seed Flavia Pennetta all made early-round exits.

Top seed and world number one Serena Williams gets her Wuhan Open campaign underway later on Tuesday against France's Alize Cornet.

(Writing by Patrick Johnston in Singapore, editing by Sudipto Ganguly)