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Swiss Bencic, who knocked out last year's
runner-up Venus Williams on a day of shocks on Monday, slumped
to a 6-1 6-3 defeat by Thai qualifier Luksika Kumkhum.
Zhang, conqueror of U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens in round
one, was also toppled by a qualifier in the shape of Czech
Republic's Denisa Allertova. Allertova won 6-4 7-6(5).
With 15-year-old Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk also getting through it
means three qualifiers have made the third round in the bottom
half of the wide open women's draw.
Timea Babos, who put paid to the hopes of a third American seed,
CoCo Vandeweghe, in the first round is in action later on
Wednesday.
For former world number seven Bencic, now down at 78 after
battling back from wrist surgery, it was a sudden comedown after
the highs of Monday when she outplayed seven-times grand slam
champion Williams.
"It was not the issue that I was still thinking about the Venus
win," the 20-year-old said. "I had re-set and focused but it was
a tough second round. I've played her a few times and it's
always been really difficult.
"But I'm still pretty positive. The start to the year has been
better than I could have imagined."
Luksika, ranked 124th in the world, produced a masterful display
to reach the third round of a major for the first time having
twice reached the second round of the Australian Open.
She said she hoped her win would stimulate some interest in the
game in Thailand.
"My dad is a tennis coach and when (former world number nine)
Paradorn Srichaphan was doing well he always had a lot of young
players wanting to learn," she added.
Luksika will face Croatian Petra Martic next while Allertova is
up against Magda Linette of Poland.
(Editing by Amlan Chakraborty/Peter Rutherford)
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