Resilient Gauff recovers to reach Beijing semis, plays Badosa next

American Coco Gauff, the No 4 seed, won against Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the semi-finals of the China Open at the National Tennis Center in Beijing on Thursday.

Gauff, ranked No 6, will face Spaniard Paula Badosa, the No 15 seed, next.

Earlier in the tournament, the 20-year-old American beat Frenchwoman Clara Burel (7-5, 6-3), No 26 seed Katie Boulter (7-5, 6-2) and Japanese Naomi Osaka (3-6, 6-4 ret.).

Starodubtseva, ranked No 115, won against German Laura Siegemund (6-4, 7-6 (3)), No 27 seed Katerina Siniakova (6-2, 6-2), Armenian Elina Avanesyan (6-3, 6-1) and Russian Anna Kalinskaya, the No 10 seed (7-5, 6-0) in the previous rounds of the Beijing tournament.

Beijing WTA 1000, other quarter-final results (National Tennis Center, hard, USD 8.955.610, most recent results first):

• Mirra Andreeva vs. Qinwen Zheng
• Aryna Sabalenka vs. Karolina Muchova
• Paula Badosa beat Shuai Zhang (WC): 6-1, 7-6 (4)