Pegula out of China Open after 4th-round loss to Badosa

Paula Badosa secured a commanding 6-4, 6-0 victory over U.S. Open finalist Jessica Pegula at the China Open on Tuesday, winning 11 of the last 12 games to advance to her eighth career quarterfinal at a WTA 1000-level event.

After falling behind 3-1 in the first set, the former world No. 2, Badosa, showcased her dominance in achieving her first victory against the third-ranked Pegula, having previously lost all three encounters.

“She’s one of the players I prefer to avoid facing—she is very consistent, strikes the ball flat, and changes direction effectively,” remarked Badosa. “I prepared for a tough match, but everything seemed to work well today.”

“Every point was crucial for me, particularly against Jessica, as she has the ability to stage a comeback at any moment.”

Badosa's next opponent will be 35-year-old Chinese player Zhang Shuai, who continued her impressive form with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Poland's Magdalena Frech.

Zhang entered the China Open on a 24-match losing streak and ranked No. 595, yet she has not lost a set in her four matches this week. This includes a straight-sets victory over U.S. Open semifinalist Emma Navarro, marking her first win against a Top 10 player in two years.

Zhang has now reached her first women’s tour quarterfinal since Tokyo in 2022 and her first at a WTA 1000 tournament since Cincinnati in the same year.

Later on Tuesday, the 14th-ranked Anna Kalinskaya was slated to compete against Yuliia Starodubtseva from Ukraine, preceding the highly anticipated women's match of the day featuring four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka and sixth-ranked Coco Gauff.

This encounter marks the first clash between the two Grand Slam winners in over two years, with their head-to-head record currently standing at 2-2.

On the men's side, Carlos Alcaraz was set to face fifth-ranked Daniil Medvedev in the first semifinal, with Alcaraz enjoying a 5-2 lead in their previous matchups.

Defending champion and top-ranked Jannik Sinner was scheduled to take on No. 96-ranked Bu Yunchaokete, who is making his debut in an ATP 500 semifinal.

SportsLigue