WUHAN: US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka will face world number four Coco Gauff in the semi-finals of the Wuhan Open after both players earned straight-set wins in the quarter-finals on Friday.

Gauff earned her 50th win of the year in WTA matches as she beat Magda Linette 6-0, 6-4, while Sabalenka defeated Magdalena Frech 6-2, 6-2.

“We’ve played a lot of matches in the past, a lot of great battles. I’m really excited,” said Sabalenka, who has won three of her seven previous meetings with Gauff.

Three-time Grand Slam winner Sabalenka wielded her powerful forehand to great effect as she broke twice to build a 4-0 lead, then held her own serves to secure the first set.

Poland’s Frech tried to fight back in the second set, getting her first break when she was 3-0 down and almost made it 3-3 but Sabalenka saved two break points to retain her lead and broke again to ensure victory.

“I (had) to be on from the beginning. I’m glad I was able to win this match in two sets,” Sabalenka said.

Sabalenka’s next opponent Gauff was equally dominant earlier in the day, saving four break points and winning 67% of her return points as former Australian Open semi-finalist Linette fell to a bagel in the first set.

Gauff, who made eight double faults in the match, faced a tougher battle in the second set but one of Linette’s 22 unforced errors gave the American an edge in the seventh game as she got the only break of the set, which sealed the win.

“I played well … overall, maybe two bad games,” 20-year-old Gauff said in the post-match interview after extending her winning streak to nine matches.

Fifth seed Zheng Qinwen of China defeated Italian Jasmine Paolini, winning 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in their quarter-final match.

The victory sets up an all-Chinese semi-final, where Zheng will face Wang Xinyu, who overcame Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(6) in a closely contested battle.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2024