VICTORIA PARK, Hong Kong - Agnieszka Radwanska was impressive against wildcard Zhang Ling at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open, picking up a 6-1, 6-2 straight-sets win.
Radwanska had failed to defend her title at the China Open last week, falling to the unseeded Daria Kasatkina, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.
But the fourth seed looked in fine form as she took on the wildcard entrant from Hong Kong.
"I'm just very happy to win my first match in Hong Kong," Radwanska said on court after the match. "Conditions are not easy, so I'm very happy to get through and win that match in two sets, ready for the next one."
The Pole began with an authoritative service game, holding with ease after initially dropping a point on a double fault, and was the first to break, moving into a 3-1 first-set lead.
She rolled off the hold with ease and promptly broke again, meaning she just required a clinically straightforward service game to see out the set.
No.4 seed @ARadwanska completes a clinical 6-1 opening set #PHKTO! pic.twitter.com/fo9yQRggzO
— WTA (@WTA) October 10, 2017
Zhang began the second set with a hold of serve, but looked in vain for an opportunity to break Radwanska.
The World No.14 was quick to capitalise on her opponent's loose backhand, breaking once more to extend her lead, and though Zhang put up a stronger fight, the conclusion was inevitable. Radwanska fired over a cross-court winner to secure a double break, and proceeded to serve it out on her fourth match point for a straight-sets win.
She will face Samantha Stosur in the second round.