Local favorite Kurumi Nara's hopes of reaching the quarterfinals of the Japan Women's Open were shattered on Thursday with a straight sets defeat to China's Wang Qiang.
World No. 57 Wang broke 108th-ranked Nara five times in a dominant display en route to a 6-2, 6-3 win in 68 minutes at Ariake Tennis Forest Park, securing a meeting in the last eight with Croatian surprise package Jana Fett.
"My opponent played well today," said Nara. "I didn't play badly but I was unable to break my way through the thick wall she put up and my lobs weren't working."