Badosa storms home to see off Pegula at China Open
Paula Badosa has reeled off 11 of the last 12 games in a 6-4 6-0 victory over US Open finalist Jessica Pegula at the China Open to reach her eighth career quarter-final at a WTA 1000 event.
From 3-1 down in the opening set, former No.2-ranked Badosa dominated in her first ever win over third-ranked Pegula.
“She’s one the of the players I never want to face – she’s very solid, hits very flat, changes very well direction,” said Spaniard Badosa, who was 0-3 previously against the American.
“I prepared myself for a battle, but I think today everything worked pretty well.
“Every point was very important for me, especially against Jessica, because she can come back at any moment.”
Badosa next faces 35-year-old Chinese Zhang Shuai, who continued her resurgence with a 6-4 6-2 win over Magdalena Frech of Poland.
Zhang entered the event on a 24-match losing streak and ranked No.595, but she’s yet to drop a set in four matches this week. That includes eliminating US Open semi-finalist Emma Navarro in straight sets for her first win over a Top 10 player in two years.
Zhang is now into her first women’s tour quarter-final since Tokyo in 2022, and her first at a WTA 1000 tournament since Cincinnati in the same year.
Later on Tuesday, No.14-ranked Anna Kalinskaya will meet Yuliia Starodubtseva, before the marquee women’s match of the day between four-time major winner Naomi Osaka and sixth-ranked Coco Gauff.
It will be the first meeting between the two grand slam champions in more than two years, with the head-to-head series tied at 2-2.
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