China Open 2024: Badosa ends Zhang’s resurgence, on course for clash with Gauff

Zhang Shuai’s drought-busting week came to a shuddering halt as Paula Badosa continued her resurgence in a 6-1, 7-6 (4) victory to make the China Open semifinals on Thursday.

The 19th-ranked Spaniard has won 28 of her last 35 matches dating to May and made the semifinals of three of her past five tournaments. There was also a run to the US Open quarterfinals last month.

But, the story of the week has been the 35-year-old Zhang, who entered the China Open on a 24-match losing streak — the second longest in the Open era — and ranked No. 595. She didn’t drop a set in four matches this week.

The Chinese wild card had no answer, though, to Badosa’s fast start as the Spaniard made three service breaks to comfortably claim the opening set.

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It was much closer in the second set as Badosa found herself down 3-1. She rallied and edged Zhang in the tiebreak.

The former No. 2-ranked Badosa will play No. 6 Coco Gauff or No. 115 Yuliia Starodubtseva, who play later on Thursday.

Gauff advanced to the quarterfinals after four-time major winner Naomi Osaka was forced to retire because of a lower back injury. The American helped carry Osaka’s bags off the court.