Katie Boulter battles past Taylor Townsend to progress at China Open

Katie Boulter recovered from a poor start to beat Taylor Townsend and reach the third round of the China Open in Beijing.

The British number one, playing in her first event since a second-round exit at the US Open, was 4-1 down to American Townsend but won five games in a row and battled to a 6-4 6-4 victory.

Boulter, who is the 26th seed, will be looking to finish the season strongly and push back into the top 30.

She kept the pressure on Townsend’s serve throughout the second set and finally got her reward with a break in the ninth game before taking her first match point.

Boulter will next meet fourth seed Coco Gauff, who saw off France’s Clara Burel 7-5 6-3.

Elsewhere, Chinese wild card Zhang Shuai, who ended a 24-match losing streak in singles lasting nearly two years in the first round, upset sixth seed Emma Navarro 6-4 6-2, while Naomi Osaka recovered from a set down to defeat Yulia Putintseva 3-6 6-4 6-2.

Meanwhile, France’s Caroline Garcia, whose ranking has slipped to 36, announced she is bringing an early end to her season because of shoulder and mental health issues.

Garcia wrote on Instagram: “This year, my mindset was toxic. I lost touch with the joy of being a tennis player and became obsessed with rankings and wins.

“I’m exhausted from the anxiety, the panic attacks, the tears before matches. Lately I’ve felt overwhelmed on tour – the pressure to perform, the eyes watching your every move.

“Winning doesn’t feel fulfilling any more, it just brings relief that it’s over. Yet, despite it all, I love tennis. So I’m choosing to step away for now. I’m taking a few weeks off to recharge then I’ll start preparing for 2025 early.”