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Paul Ryding

Top seed Garbine Muguruza pulled out of the Prudential Hong Kong Open on Sunday night - just hours after winning the China Open in Beijing. 
The Spaniard said she had an ankle problem as she became the latest player to withdraw at the end of a gruelling season.  Eugenie Bouchard, defending champion Sabine Lisicki and Victoria Azarenka were also casualties.
Muguruza, who turned 22 last week, retired from the Wuhan Open final against Venus Williams just a week ago, citing exhaustion.
By winning in Beijing, she sealed her spot at the year-ending WTA Finals in Singapore.
WATCH: Seven-time grand slam singles winner Venus Williams discuss life after tennis

Before her injury, Muguruza said she felt good. "There's only three more [players] in front of me. It feels good. It feels that you're doing your things in a right way," she said, adding: "Three more. Three more."
Hong Kong Tennis Association chief executive Chris Lai was disappointed with Muguruza's no-show in Hong Kong.
We understand she has been struggling with an ankle injury since last week, and we wish her a quick recovery and look forward to having her in 2016
Chris Lai 
"We are disappointed that Garbine is not playing in Hong Kong. We understand she has been struggling with an ankle injury since last week, and we wish her a quick recovery and look forward to having her in 2016," said Lai.
Meanwhile, the scale of the task facing the city's sole participant, Lynn Zhang Ling became clear yesterday as the draw was made for the opening round at Victoria Park.
READ > All our Hong Kong Tennis Open coverage here 
The world No 309 was handed a first round tie with Japan's Kurumi Nara in the US$250,000 tournament starting today.
Should she overcome the Japanese world No 83, who reached the semi-finals at the Hobart International at the beginning of this year, she will go up against either second seeded German Angelique Kerber or the 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone.

Kerber, who took a wild card invitation to compete in Hong Kong to help secure her place at the end-of-season WTA Finals in Singapore, said: "Every opponent is very strong. I'm very happy to get the wild card. I will focus from round-to-round."
The 25-year-old Zhang lost out in the opening round at Victoria Park last year against Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova, but is confident she can make progress this week.
READ: Zhang Ling targets big showing in home event
"It's going to be fun, but I think the result will come down to who performs better in the match," said Zhang.
"It will come down to the on-court performance."
Zhang has never met Nara in competition before but had recently experienced her game.
"I've never played her, but I just finished practicing with her today before the draw was made," said Zhang. "I think we both have similar games - fast and aggressive. She is an attacking player and plays at a high tempo."
Elsewhere, the highlight of the first round draw is the tie between wild card entrant Kerber and Italian veteran Schiavone, and former world No 1 and fourth seed Jelena Jankovic faces qualifier Ana Bogdan from Romania.
Five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams will pair off against Yuliya Beygelzimer of Ukraine.
Play gets under way at Victoria Park at 3pm today.
Today's order of play: Centre Court, 3pm start: Luksika Kumkhum (Thailand) v Monica Puig (Puerto Rico) followed by Irina Ramialison (France) v Anastasia Rodionova (Australia) Court 1, 3pm start: Irina Falconi (US) v Lara Arruabarrena (Spain) followed by Jarmila Gajdosova (Australia) v Yaroslava Shvedova (Kazakhstan).Court 2, 3pm start: Lee Ya-hsuan (Taiwan) v Jang Su-jeong followed by Chang Kai-chen (Taiwan) v Anastasiya Komardina (Russia).


Back again: Prudential confirms partnership as Hong Kong Tennis Open sponsor

Hong Kong Tennis Open can be Asia's answer to Wimbledon or the Australian Open, say organisers  

'I can still beat the best': Jelena Jankovic crowned champion at Hong Kong Tennis Open 

Jelena Jankovic wins the Hong Kong Tennis Open with a three-set win over Angelique Kerber

Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open 2015

Garbine Muguruza pulls out of Hong Kong Open hours after winning China Open

Spain's Garbine Muguruza kisses the winning trophy after her China Open title win in Beijing on Sunday. Hours later she pulled out of Hong Kong. Photo: Reuters

Garbine Muguruza can't believe she won the China Open. But organisers were even more disbelieving that she pulled out of the Prudential Hong Kong Open. Photo: Reuters

Lynn Zhang Ling faces a tricky opening-round test against Japan's Kurumi Nara. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Venus Williams targets Hong Kong win to seal ticket to lucrative season-ending WTA Finals

Hong Kong's skyscrapers provide a backdrop for Venus Williams as she poses ahead of the Hong Kong Open. Photos: Sam Tsang 

Hong Kong's skyscrapers provide a backdrop for Venus Williams as she poses ahead of the Prudential Hong Kong Open. Photos: Sam Tsang 

Venus Williams meets the press at Victoria Park on Saturday.

The American is in top form having won the Wuhan Open recently for her biggest win in five years. 

Fighting fit Jelena Jankovic still eyes grand slam, but first it's the Hong Kong Open 

Former World No 1 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia practises ahead of the start of her campaign at the Hong Kong Tennis Open at Victoria Park. Photos: Nora Tam

Ng Kwan-yau is hoping to make it through the qualifying rounds, which start today.  

Samantha Stosur of Australia will be among the stars at the Hong Kong Tennis Open Photo: AFP

Bouchard and Azarenka out of Hong Kong Tennis Open - but reinforcements on the way

Victoria Azarenka who has been battling an ongoing leg injury has confirmed her withdrawal from the Hong Kong Tennis Open. Photo: Reuters 

Angelique Kerber of Germany hits a return against Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark during their women's singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, October 7, 2015. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Jelena Jankovic of Serbia poses with the championship trophy after her win over Denisa Allertova of the Czech Repubilc during the women's singles final at the Guangzhou Open tennis championship in Guangzhou, southern China's Guangdong province on September 26, 2015. CHINA OUT AFP PHOTO

Eugenie Bouchard of Canada is treated during her match against Andrea Petkovic of Germany at the China Open in Beijing.

Victoria Azarenka, Eugenie Bouchard worries for Hong Kong Open organisers after losing defending champion Sabine Lisicki 

Eugenie Bouchard at the Wuhan Open. Photo: Wuhan Open Facebook page

Eugenie Bouchard had to pull out of the US Open. Photo: AP

Sabine Lisicki in action at the US Open. Photo: AFP

Sabine Lisicki (left) and Boris Becker's wife Lilly party at Munich's Oktoberfest at the weekend. Photo: EPA

Victoria Azarenka's thigh was heavily wrapped in Wuhan. Photo: Reuters

Sport

Hong Kong

Tennis

Top-seeded Spaniard has an ankle injury, say disappointed organisers who hope she will return in 2016
