Top seed Roberta Vinci was knocked out of the first round of the Malaysian Open after losing to Taiwan's Kai-Chen Chang 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 on Tuesday. The 33-year-old Italian, ranked 10th in the world and eyeing her second WTA tour title of the season, succumbed to a player with a world ranking of 153. In an earlier first-round match, second seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine easily dispatched Japan's Miyu Kato in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1.
China's Zhaoxuan Yang, seeded eighth, beat her fellow countrywoman Saisai Zheng 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. On Monday Eugenie Bouchard had an easy win over Hong Kong's Zhang Ling, 6-3, 6-1 to advance to the second round.