BEIJING: Former number one and fourth seed Karolina Pliskova became the latest high-profile casualty at the China Open on Thursday, going out in the third round to unseeded Sorana Cirstea.
Cirstea follows fellow Romanian Simona Halep into the quarter-finals after the second seed sent Maria Sharapova packing on Wednesday.
Cirstea, ranked 44 in the world, stunned the Czech Pliskova 6-1, 7-5 on Beijing’s outdoor hard courts to surge into the last eight.
She will play Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, the Roland Garros champion, after China’s top player Peng Shuai retired with a knee injury at 3-0 down in the first set.
The 31-year-old Peng said she had been having injections to ease the pain and her right knee was heavily strapped, but she could not play on.
“The doctor suggested I should take a period of rest and get it treated, but I can only rest after the season, that’s the plan,” said Peng, ranked 25 in the world.
World number one Garbine Muguruza and reigning champion Agnieszka Radwanska are both out to leave world number two Halep the favorite in the Chinese capital.
Also into the quarters are Caroline Garcia, who defeated French compatriot Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-1, and Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic.
Garcia is in red-hot form after winning the Wuhan Open title on Saturday.
In the men’s draw the American John Isner blasted his way into the last eight with a 6-0, 6-3 beating of Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer.
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Cirstea stuns Karolina Pliskova in Beijing
Cirstea stuns Karolina Pliskova in Beijing
Iranian ambassador thanks Saudi for not allowing territory to be used during
- Alireza Enayati tells AFP Iran appreciates Kingdom's pledge not to allow its 'airspace, waters, or territory' to be used in US attacks
- Envoy also denies that his country hit the US embassy in Riyadh this week with drones
RIYADH: Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia Alireza Enayati said on Thursday his country remained appreciative of Saudi Arabia’s pledge to not allow its airspace or territory to be used during the ongoing war with the US and Israel.
“We appreciate what we have repeatedly heard from Saudi Arabia — that it does not allow its airspace, waters, or territory to be used against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he told AFP.
Before the outbreak of war, Riyadh had thrown its support behind diplomatic efforts to diffuse tensions between Tehran and Washington and vowed that its airspace would not be allowed to be used for attacks against Iran.
Enayati also categorically denied that his country hit the US embassy in Riyadh this week, after Saudi officials said Iran targeted the compound with drones.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly accused Tehran of launching missile salvos and drone attacks at its territory and warned that the kingdom reserved the right to defend itself, including by retaliating.
Iran had earlier denied attacking the sprawling Ras Tanura refinery — one of the largest in the Middle East — which Riyadh had also accused Tehran of targeting twice with drones.
Enayati added to the denial, saying Iran also had no hand in the targeting of the US embassy that triggered a fire at the compound.
“We confirmed that Iran has no role in the attack on the US embassy in Riyadh,” the ambassador told AFP.
“If the operations command in Tehran attacks somewhere, it takes responsibility for it.”
The war in the Middle East has engulfed the otherwise stable Gulf region as Iran retaliates over US and Israeli strikes that killed its supreme leader, launching strikes at Israel, the wider region and beyond.
At least 13 people have been killed in the Gulf, including seven civilians, since Iran began its attacks on Saturday.
Enayati, however, denied that Iran was waging a regional war as retaliation for the attacks on his country by the US and Israel.
“This is not a regional war and it is not our war. It was imposed on the region,” he told AFP.
“We appreciate what we have repeatedly heard from Saudi Arabia — that it does not allow its airspace, waters, or territory to be used against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he told AFP.
Before the outbreak of war, Riyadh had thrown its support behind diplomatic efforts to diffuse tensions between Tehran and Washington and vowed that its airspace would not be allowed to be used for attacks against Iran.
Enayati also categorically denied that his country hit the US embassy in Riyadh this week, after Saudi officials said Iran targeted the compound with drones.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly accused Tehran of launching missile salvos and drone attacks at its territory and warned that the kingdom reserved the right to defend itself, including by retaliating.
Iran had earlier denied attacking the sprawling Ras Tanura refinery — one of the largest in the Middle East — which Riyadh had also accused Tehran of targeting twice with drones.
Enayati added to the denial, saying Iran also had no hand in the targeting of the US embassy that triggered a fire at the compound.
“We confirmed that Iran has no role in the attack on the US embassy in Riyadh,” the ambassador told AFP.
“If the operations command in Tehran attacks somewhere, it takes responsibility for it.”
The war in the Middle East has engulfed the otherwise stable Gulf region as Iran retaliates over US and Israeli strikes that killed its supreme leader, launching strikes at Israel, the wider region and beyond.
At least 13 people have been killed in the Gulf, including seven civilians, since Iran began its attacks on Saturday.
Enayati, however, denied that Iran was waging a regional war as retaliation for the attacks on his country by the US and Israel.
“This is not a regional war and it is not our war. It was imposed on the region,” he told AFP.
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