China Open: Top seed Sabalenka moves into last eight, sets up Rybakina clash

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, the top seed, advanced to the last eight of the China Open by winning against Italian Jasmine Paolini 6-4, 7-6 (4) at National Tennis Center in Beijing on Thursday.

Sabalenka, ranked No 1, will play Kazakh Elena Rybakina, the No 5 seed, next.

Ahead of her victory, the Belarusian beat American wildcard Sofia Kenin (6-1, 6-2) and qualifier Katie Boulter (7-5, 7-6 (2)).

Paolini, ranked No 36, edged out Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, the No 15 seed (3-6, 6-4, 6-4) and Chinese wildcard Yue Yuan (2-6, 6-3, 6-4) in the previous rounds of the Beijing tournament.

Beijing WTA 1000, other last 16 results (National Tennis Center, hard, USD 8.127.389, most recent results first):

• Maria Sakkari (6) beat Xinyu Wang: 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
• Coco Gauff (3) beat Veronika Kudermetova (16): 7-6 (5), 6-2
• Caroline Garcia (9) beat Anhelina Kalinina: 6-3, 6-2
• Elena Rybakina beat Mirra Andreeva (Q): 2-6, 6-4, 6-1
• Iga Swiatek (2) beat Magda Linette: 6-1, 6-1
• Liudmila Samsonova beat Marta Kostyuk: 6-4, 6-7 (4), 7-5
• Jelena Ostapenko (13) beat Jessica Pegula (4): 6-4, 6-2