US Open finalist Jessica Pegula is out of the China Open after a last-16 defeat by Spain’s Paula Badosa.
The American world quantity three, seeded second in Beijing, misplaced 6-4 6-0 in simply over an hour.
An early break noticed Badosa go 3-1 down within the opening set, however the Spaniard received 11 of the following 12 video games – together with eight in a row – to safe her first win over a top-five participant since 2022.
“She’s one the of the gamers I by no means wish to face,” mentioned world quantity 19 Badosa.
“She’s very stable, hits very flat, adjustments route very effectively, so I knew it was going to be robust.
“Yesterday I ready myself for a battle, however I believe immediately every thing labored fairly effectively.”
She’s going to meet Zhang Shuai within the quarter-finals after the world quantity 595 continued her exceptional run on the match with a 6-4 6-2 win over Poland’s Magdalena Frech.
Zhang went into her house occasion on the again of 24 successive defeats spanning greater than 600 days, the second-longest run on the WTA Tour within the open period, which started in 1968 when professionals have been lastly allowed to play in Grand Slam tournaments.
The 2-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist, whose profession has been stricken by accidents, can be the lowest-ranked participant to ever compete in the primary draw of the China Open – a WTA 1000 occasion.
However the 35-year-old has now received 4 matches in Beijing with out dropping a set, together with a second-round win over US Open semi-finalist Emma Navarro.