The 32-year-old Pole, who is ranked world No. 45 by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), defeated the 11th-seeded Russian player 6-2, 6-2 in their first-round clash in Wuhan on Tuesday.
Up next for Linette at the hard-court tournament in China is Ukrainian qualifier Lesia Tsurenko.
Meanwhile, Poland’s world No. 1 Iga Świątek has withdrawn from the WTA 1000 tournament in Wuhan and the entire autumn Asian season due to fatigue and personal reasons, marking a pause in her competitive play since September 5.
The 2024 Wuhan Open runs until October 13.
(gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, wtatennis.com