(Beijing) Favorite Aryna Sabalenka set the table for a duel with Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals of the China Open on Thursday after eliminating Jasmine Paolini 6-4, 7-6 (4).
Sabalenka hit 13 aces before winning the first set, but the Italian, the 36th-ranked player in the world, erased a 3-1 deficit and served for the set twice, at 5-4 and 6-5.
Sabalenka will face fifth-seeded Rybakina for the third time this season. They shared the honors of the first two finals they played – at the Australian Open and Indian Wells – but the Belarusian player won the Grand Slam title in Melbourne.
“It’s always really big battles against Elena. I have to focus on myself, play aggressively and let my game do the talking,” Sabalenka said. I know I will get chances to win this match. During our last duel [a defeat], I was nervous and I rushed things a little too much. The key against Elena will be to keep my cool, my patience, to be aggressive and not to rush things. »
Earlier Thursday, Coco Gauff saved four set points before defeating 16th seed Veronika Kudermetova 7-6 (5), 6-2 in the third round.
This victory brought the American’s winning streak to 15, a streak during which she notably won the titles in Cincinnati and at the United States Open last month. Gauff will face sixth seed Maria Sakkari or local favorite Wang Xinyu in the quarter-finals.
Kudermetova led 5-4, 40-0 at the end of the first set. The 26-year-old Russian had four set points in this game, but was unable to take advantage.
Earlier Thursday, ninth seed Caroline Garcia ousted Anhelina Kalinina 6-3, 6-2, setting the table for a next-round duel with world No. 2 player Iga Swiatek.
Favorite Aryna Sabalenka will meet Italian Jasmine Paolini later on Thursday.
At the Shanghai Masters, Grégoire Barrère defeated Nonu Borges 6-2, 6-2 in the first round. The Frenchman will now cross swords with tournament favorite Carlos Alcaraz.
Stefano Napolitano, who advanced to the main draw after tennis player Marc Polmans was disqualified for hitting a ball in the chair referee’s face, bowed to qualifier Beibit Zhukayev 7-5, 7-5.
Among the other winners of the day were Rinky Hijikata, Quentin Halys, Matteo Arnaldi, Lorenzo Sonego, Aleksander Vukic, Arthur Fils, Mikhail Kukushkin and Tseng Chun-hsin.
The top 32 seeds, including Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Félix Auger-Aliassime, earned a bye into the second round. The Quebecer, 15th player in the world, will meet next night with the Hungarian Marton Fucsovics.