Boulter edged out by top-ranked Sabalenka in China

Katie Boulter (left) won her first WTA Tour title at the Nottingham Open in June

British number one Katie Boulter suffered a straight-sets defeat by top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the second round at the China Open.

That was despite Boulter, 27, serving for both sets when leading 5-4.

Sabalenka, runner-up at the US Open in September, fought back to take the first set before the Belarusian sealed victory by winning six successive points in a dominant tie-break display.

World number one Sabalenka will face Italy's Jasmine Paolini for a place in the quarter-finals.

Elsewhere, American fourth seed Jessica Pegula came back to defeat Russian Anna Blinkova 6-7 (2-7) 6-2 6-1 and set up a meeting with Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko.

World number two Iga Swiatek, third seed Coco Gauff and Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur are also in action in Beijing on Tuesday.

The Women's Tennis Association decided to resume tournaments in China this year after accepting an investigation will not be carried out by the Chinese government into sexual assault allegations made by former player Peng Shuai.

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