Laura Robson qualifies for China Open, Heather Watson misses out

Laura Robson has qualified for the China Open in Beijing but fellow Briton Heather Watson failed to get through.

Robson lost the first set of her second-round qualifying match against Sweden's Johanna Larsson, the world number 84, but went on to take the next two comfortably, winning 4-6 6-2 6-1.

She faces wildcard Kimiko Date-Krumm from Japan in the first round.

Watson started well against Italian Camila Giorgi in her bid to make the main draw, but lost 7-5 2-6 3-6.

Olympic champion Serena Williams has withdrawn from the tournament with illness.

The American, who also won Wimbledon and the US Open in a hugely successful summer, had earlier posted on Twitter: "Flu no fun".

World number one Victoria Azarenka is due to head the field at the tournament - one of four 'premier mandatory' events that rank only behind the four Grand Slams and the end-of-season championships.

However, the Belarusian's participation is in doubt after she pulled out of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Thursday because of fatigue.

In Kuala Lumpur, Britain's Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins reached the Malaysian Open doubles final with a 6-3 7-6 (7-3) win over Polish top seeds Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski.