The ruthless Olympic champion Zheng advances to the third round of the China Open

China’s Zheng Qinwen is playing at home for the first time since he won gold in Paris. (AP photo)

BEIJING: Olympic champion and hometown hero Zheng Qinwen filled the crowd at the China Open today, joining top seed Aryna Sabalenka in the third round in Beijing.

Sabalenka labored in the first set before beating tough Thai qualifier Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6-4, 6-1 in her first match since winning the US Open.

Zheng, playing at home for the first time since winning gold in Paris, brushed aside 71st-ranked Russian Kamilla Rakhimova 6-1, 6-1 in 75 minutes.

Sabalenka and Zheng are on course to meet in the semi-finals in a repeat of the Australian Open final, where the Belarusian crushed her opponent 6-3, 6-2.

But with the crowds booing her, 21-year-old Zheng should be a different proposition in the Chinese capital.

The fifth seed will next play Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska or Ukraine’s 25th seed Dayana Yastremska.

Sabalenka will face Ashlyn Krueger of the US, who is ranked 68th.

The world number 2 worked hard in the first set against an opponent ranked 187th in the world and playing the biggest match of her young career.

Sabalenka barely smiled at the end, having eventually eased to a straight-set victory.

“I’m super happy to get through this match,” said the 26-year-old.

“In the first set I had a little trouble with the rhythm, with the speed of the court, with the way the balls became heavier.

“In the second set everything seemed to work much better.”

The 22-year-old Mananchaya may have been inexperienced at this level, but the athletic Thai seemingly refused to give up lost causes.

However, Mananchaya struggled on serve and three-time champion Sabalenka broke for a 4-2 lead in the first set.

The Thais refused to be overwhelmed by Sabalenka’s much greater power and she immediately withdrew, to the roar of approval from the Beijing crowd.

An error-prone Sabalenka could not get into her groove, but created a first set point on the Thai’s serve, and then put a simple volley wide.

She made no mistake on her second chance and then broke for 3-1 in the second set when she found form late.

Also in the third round of the WTA 1000 event is third seed Jasmine Paolini, but the Italian did it the hard way and fought back to beat Denmark’s Clara Tauson 1-6, 7-5, 6-4.

World No. 1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek withdrew before the tournament due to “personal matters”.