Superb Muchova stuns Sabalenka to reach China Open semi-finals

Karolina Muchova put on a superb display to upset top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka, dispatching the Belarusian 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-4 to move into the semi-finals of the China Open in Beijing.

Muchova has now won the pair’s last three encounters, having also beaten Sabalenka in Cincinnati and in a gripping Roland-Garros semi-final last year, as the Czech improves her head-to-head record against the world No 2 to 3-1.

For Sabalenka, defeat today marks her first loss since the Canadian Open back in early August. The big-hitting Belarusian was on a 15-match winning streak, which equalled her previous best winning run across the end of 2020 and start of 2021. But she unable to break her career-best record in Beijing, as she came up against the mercurial talents of Muchova – a player who is quickly becoming her achilles heel.

This is a fascinating match-up, primarily because of the contrast in style between the pair, with Muchova’s variety and deft touch – arguably the best on tour – proving a potent antidote to Sabalenka’s baseline power.

So it was again today, as an enthralled Beijing crowd were treated to an excellent quarter-final.

Muchova edged the first set, but Sabalenka regained her composure to imperiously take the second, before a tight decider went the way of the Czech.

The current world No 49 had never won a match at the China Open before this year’s tournament, yet she now finds herself in her first WTA 1000 event in over a year, having been the form player throughout much of the event.

It wouldn’t have hurt that she was able to practice with world No 1 Iga Swiatek in New York in the build-up to last month’s US Open.

“I had a practice set there before the tournament with Iga that really helped me a lot, to see how I could do and deal,” Muchova explained following her win in the previous round.

“Then, once you get a few matches under your belt, it always helps me with the confidence. Then with the wrist, I felt could play free again and swing fully. I’m glad I picked it up that fast.”

muchova to face andreeva or zheng in the last four

Muchova, ranked No 49, will play the winner of the match between Russian Mirra Andreeva, the No 17 seed, and Chinese Zheng Qinwen, the No 5 seed, next.

Karolina Muchova won against Russian Anna Blinkova (6-1, 6-1), Chinese Yue Yuan, the No 30 seed (6-3, 6-1), Romanian Jaqueline Cristian (6-1, 6-3) and Spaniard Cristina Bucsa (6-2, 6-0) earlier in the tournament.

In the previous rounds of the Beijing tournament, Sabalenka, ranked No 2, defeated Thai qualifier Mananchaya Sawangkaew (6-4, 6-1), American Ashlyn Krueger (6-2, 6-2) and American Madison Keys, the No 18 seed (6-4, 6-3).

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

• Mirra Andreeva vs. Qinwen Zheng
• Coco Gauff (4) beat Yuliia Starodubtseva (Q): 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
• Paula Badosa (15) beat Shuai Zhang (WC): 6-1, 7-6 (4)