BEIJING — Novak Djokovic improved his perfect record at the China Open to 25-0 by beating Simone Bolelli of Italy 6-1, 6-1 Tuesday in the first round. The top-seeded Djokovic's winning streak started in 2009, when he won the first of his five titles at the tournament. He has dropped only three sets out of 51 in his five appearances. He didn't play in 2011. Besides singles, Djokovic is also teaming with younger brother Djordje in doubles for the first time at an ATP Tour event. Rafael Nadal was broken four times by one of his former ball boys before he struggled into the second round in an unconvincing return to action. The Spanish great ultimately won 6-4, 6-4, but not before he trailed in the second set against China's 230th-ranked Wu Di, who once tossed him balls and towels in his native Shanghai. The third-seeded Nadal is in the uncharacteristic position of needing a strong finish to the season to qualify for the ATP Finals in London next month. “I think I played little bit too ... far away from the baseline,” Nadal said. “The last three games of the match I was playing better. I hit some good forehands down the line and that's why I finished well.” On the women's side, US Open champion Flavia Pennetta of Italy rallied to advance to the third round with a 3-6, 6-0, 6-4 win over Teliana Pereira of Brazil. Ana Ivanovic of Serbia beat American Venus Williams 7-6 (7-3), 6-2. while eighth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark defeated Chinese wild-card entry Wang Qiang 7-5, 6-0, and 10th-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany beat Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-1, 6-4. For the second straight day, the pollution in Beijing reached hazardous levels, according to the US Embassy's real-time air quality index. “The pollution, I think we're used to it when we play here,” Wozniacki said. “You know, we just play. We just play.” In other results: Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland beat Mariana Duque of Colombia 7-5, 6-2; Andrea Petkovic of Germany beat Samantha Stosur of Australia 6-2, 7-5. Wawrinka beats Stepanek In Tokyo, French Open champion Stan Wawrinka made it through this time. A year after a surprising first-round exit at the Japan Open, the top-seeded Swiss won his opening match at this year's tournament, beating Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 7-5, 6-3 Tuesday. Wawrinka lost to Tatsuma Ito in the first round last year, and that's who he will face in the second round this time. Also, Wimbledon semifinalist Richard Gasquet, seeded fourth, was eliminated by Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain 6-4, 6-1. Bautista Agut will next face Nick Kyrgios of Australia. Gilles Muller of Luxembourg beat fifth-seeded Kevin Anderson of South Africa 6-2, 6-3 and Benoit Paire of France defeated eighth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. Third-seeded Gilles Simon booked a second-round date with Jiri Vesely, of the Czech Republic, after defeating Russian qualifier Mikhail Youzhny 6-4, 6-4. — Agencies
