BEIJING — Sixth-ranked Coco Gauff once more made a sluggish begin and needed to rally to beat Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 to make the China Open semifinals on Thursday.
Gauff will subsequent play Paula Badosa of Spain, who earlier ended native wild card Zhang Shuai‘s surprising run on the title.
The No. 115-ranked Starodubtseva had not misplaced a set in her three matches this week and rapidly took the lead, making 10 winners and holding Gauff to zero in an error-strewn first set for the American.
Gauff additionally misplaced the primary set in opposition to Naomi Osaka within the earlier spherical earlier than Osaka retired due to a decrease again damage. Gauff helped carry Osaka’s baggage off the courtroom.
Former US Open champion Gauff wanted to discover a response in opposition to Starodubtseva and saved two break factors in her opening service recreation of the second set. A service break propelled Gauff forward 3-1.
After one other slender escape on her subsequent service recreation, Gauff misplaced solely three extra video games for the remainder of the match.
Zhang Shuai’s drought-busting week got here to a shuddering halt as Badosa continued her personal resurgence in a 6-1, 7-6 (4) victory of their quarterfinal.
The Spaniard has received 28 of her previous 35 matches courting to Could and made the semifinals of three of her previous 5 tournaments. There was additionally a run to the US Open quarterfinals final month.
However the story of the week has been Zhang, 35, who entered the China Open on a 24-match dropping streak — the second longest within the Open period — and ranked No. 595. She did not drop a set in 4 matches this week.
The Chinese language wild card had no reply, although, to Badosa’s quick begin because the Spaniard made three service breaks to comfortably declare the opening set.
It was a lot nearer within the second set as Badosa discovered herself down 3-1. She rallied and edged Zhang within the tiebreak.
