Beijing, October 7

Tomas Berdych and Caroline Wozniacki both lost their way in Beijing’s choking smog as they exited the haze-hit China Open with tough defeats today.

Berdych was sent packing just 24 hours after arriving from his victory in the rain-delayed Shenzhen Open final. The Czech world No 5 never hit his stride against Uruguay’s 37th-ranked Pablo Cuevas as he was dumped out

6-4, 6-4 to become the rollercoaster tournament’s latest upset.

Later Wozniacki was brutally disposed of by a grimly determined Angelique Kerber 6-2, 6-3 as her hopes of reaching the year-ending WTA Finals took a hit. Andrea Petkovic was also bundled out by Sara Errani 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, compounding a tough season which has included food poisoning, injury and a first-round defeat last week in Wuhan.

It was a different story for Garbine Muguruza, who retired from last week’s Wuhan final against Venus Williams with an ankle problem but bounced back to beat Irina Falconi 6-2, 6-1. She will now qualify for the WTA Finals if she wins her next match against Mirjana Lucic-Baroni.

Fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska set up a quarter-final with Kerber after Madison Keys retired after their first set, becoming the latest in a long list of casualties.