WUHAN, China – Iga Swiatek was eliminated from the Wuhan Open on Friday after an outright loss to Jasmine Paolini – a player the Wimbledon champion had never lost to before.
Paolini powered his way to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over second-placed Swiatek in a quarter-final that was over in 65 minutes.
It was the Italian’s first victory over Swiatek in their seventh meeting – with Paolini having previously won just one set – and secured her a place in the semi-finals against third-seeded Coco Gauff.
“Finally I won a match,” said seventh-seeded Paolini. “I’m super happy with my level. It just feels great.”
Paolini has a much better record against Gauff, having defeated the American in the past three meetings.
Gauff reached a second straight semi-final with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Laura Siegemund. She lost to eventual champion Amanda Anisimova in the last four at the China Open last week.
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka will face Jessica Pegula in the other semi-final.
Sabalenka extended her winning streak in Wuhan to 20 matches with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over eighth-seeded Elena Rybakina.
The US Open champion won the WTA 1000-level tournament in 2018, ’19 and again last year on her return to the Chinese city.
Sabalenka broke Rybakina’s serve three times in the 1 hour and 25 minute match to reach the semi-finals for the 11th time this season, before waving and blowing kisses to the crowd.
Earlier Friday, Pegula went to a third set for the seventh match in a row. The sixth seed dropped the first set to Katerina Siniakova before powering through the next two for a 2-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory.
Pegula is coming off wins over No. 9 Ekaterina Alexandrova and compatriot Hailey Baptiste, while she needed seven match points to take the win.
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