KUNMING - China's top female tennis player Wang Qiang crashed out of the Chinese Tennis Association (CTA) Tour after losing in a three-set thriller 6-4, 4-6, 6-10 against Yang Ziyi in the round of 16 on Wednesday.

Wang, world No 29 and top seed of the tournament in southwest China's city of Anning, had a good start against 22-year-old Yang in the match and won the first set with a comfortable 6-4.

Yang battled back in the second set 6-4 to level the score, with strong serves and solid baseline play.

In the final set, a 10-point tiebreaker, Yang won four points in a row after a 6-6 tie, securing a surprise victory against Wang.

"I found Wang's serves became weak in the final set and decided to play more aggressively," said Yang, who was thrilled to beat her idol, Wang.

"This is so far the best match of my career. I'll be more confident," Yang added.