Venus Williams celebrates her 700th career win after beating Julia Goerges of Germany in their women’s singles match during the Wuhan Open in China’s Hubei province on Sept. 29, 2015.
(Photo: Fred Dufour, AFP/Getty Images)

Venus Williams earned the 700th victory of her career Tuesday by beating German qualifier Julia Goerges 6-4, 6-3 in the second round of Wuhan Open.

Williams is a seven-time major champion who won her last Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2008.

Defending champion Petra Kvitova also advanced, beating Daria Gavrilova of Russia 6-3, 4-6, 7-5. Kvitova will next face 15th-seeded Roberta Vinci in the third round.

Earlier, Anna Karolina Schmiedlova beat a top-20 player for only the third time in her career when she defeated fourth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6). Schmiedlova will next meet Kristina Mladenovic, who beat 14th-seeded Madison Keysof the United States 7-5, 1-6, 6-2.

Ana Ivanovic advanced with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Madison Brengle. The ninth-seeded Ivanovic has only dropped seven games in two matches.

Also, Belinda Bencic of Switzerland retired from her match against Camila Giorgi of Italy with a left leg injury. Bencic, who was coming off a loss to Agnieszka Radwanskain the Tokyo Pan Pacific final on Sunday, retired after dropping the first set 6-2.

Victoria Azarenka also limped off and retired after she was broken in the second set by Johanna Konta and was trailing 6-4, 1-0 in her third round match.

In the final match of the day, top-seeded Simona Halep beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 6-1.

In other matches, sixth-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany defeated Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 6-4, 2-6, 6-2; 12th-seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine beat Varvara Lepchenko of the United States 6-4, 6-2; and Coco Vandeweghe of United States beat Caroline Garcia of France 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (6).

SOURCE: AP