Andrea Petkovic of Germany reacts after winning her women's quarter-final match against Sara Errani of Italy at the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris June 4, 2014.
Andrea Petkovic of Germany reacts after winning her women's quarter-final match against Sara Errani of Italy at the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris June 4, 2014. REUTERS

Here are the players who won in the first round of the inaugural Wuhan Open on Sept. 21.

Germany's Andrea Petkovic defeated Croatia's Donna Vekic

World No. 91 Vekic won in the first set, but the 17th-ranked Petkovic bounced back, winning in the last two sets to advance into the next round, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2. Petkovic was a semifinalist in the 2014 French Open and the first German athlete since Steffi Graf to have made it in the semifinals at Roland Garros in 15 years.

France's Caroline Garcia defeated U.S.' Venus Williams

Forty-ninth-ranked Garcia crushed 18th-ranked Williams in the opener. Garcia won two out of three sets, 6-4 4-6 7-6(6).

Belgium's Kirsten Flipkens defeated Italy's Francesca Schiavone

Flipkens, who ranks 48th in the world, scored a first round victory over 74th-ranked Schiavone, 2-6, 7-6(2), 6-4. Flipkens and Schiavone have played four times against each other.

Italy's Karin Knapp defeated New Zealand's Marina Erakovic

Fresh from her victory at the Tashkent Open, Italian athlete Knapp who occupies that number 62 spot in the world rankings walk away with a victory over 90th-ranked Erakovic of New Zealand, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1. Knapp and Erakovic have played each other three times prior the first round match at Wuhan. Knapp twice in their last three meetings.

Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Japan's Kurumi Nara

Two-time Grand Slam champion Kuznetsova won in two straight sets over Japanese Nara, 6-3, 6-2. Their last meeting was in the finale of the 2014 Citi Open in Washington.

Russia's Ekaterina Makarova defeated Bojana Jovanovski

Makarova also earned a second-round berth after beating Jovanovski in two straight sets, 6-2, 6-2. The match only lasted for over an hour. Makarova ranks 14th, while Jovanovkis ranks 39th, in the world rankings.

Kazahkstan's Zarina Diyas defeated Czech Republic's Klara Koukalova

It was the first meeting for Diyas and Koukalova, and the Kazahk won in two out of three sets with a final score of 6-4, 6-7(1), 6-5. Diyas is three places below Koukalova in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) world rankings.

U.S.' Alison Riske defeated China's Xu Shilin

It was also the first time that the 67th-ranked Riske and 496th-ranked Shilin played against each other. Shilin was forced to retire in the third set because of the heat, 4-6, 6-4, 6-6 (Xu S L retired).

Czech Republic's Barbora Zahlavova Strycova defeated Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova

World No. 32 Strycova beat World No. 56 Hantuchova in the first round, 7-6(5), 7-6(2). Strycova proved to be a better player after two tie-breakers.

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina defeated Italy's Camila Giorgi

Svitolina easily cruised into the next round, beating Giorgi in two straight sets, 6-2, 6-3. Svitolina is currently at the 34th place in the world rankings. Giorgi, on the other hand, is positioned 10 places below that Ukrainian athlete.