For WTA Finals hopefuls, Beijing represents the final opportunity to collect significant points this season and her 6-2, 6-4 loss to Lisicki has left Bouchard's hopes in the balance.
On a chilly afternoon, Bouchard never really warmed to the task in front of her.
After being blown away in the opening set and falling 3-1 behind in the second, Bouchard's famed fighting spirit briefly looked like it may get her out of jail. However, Lisicki was not to be denied, a delightfully disguised drop shot helping her break for a 5-4 lead before serving out the match to love. To compound the Canadian's misery, one of her closest rivals for the remaining places in Singapore, Angelique Kerber, came through her own second round encounter, brushing aside Zarina Diyas, 6-3, 6-1.
Another player with an outside chance of a Finals place, Ekaterina Makarova, also advanced, dispatching Polona Hercog, 7-5, 6-0. Bouchard was not the only potential qualifier to trip up at the National Tennis Center. Earlier in the day, Agnieszka Radwanska lost to Roberta Vinci, 6-4, 6-4. Radwanska started brightly in both sets, but each time was pegged back by the Italian, who had lost seven of their eight previous meetings. Bouchard and Radwanska will have their eyes glued to Kerber's results for the rest of the week. If Kerber fails to reach the final, Bouchard is Singapore-bound, while for Radwanska to qualify, she would also need Makarova to leave the Chinese capital without the winner's trophy.
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