Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka eased past Madison Keys to reach the China Open quarter-finals on Wednesday, and has yet to drop a set at the WTA 1000 in Beijing, while her next opponent, Karolina Muchova made light work of Cristina Bucsa.
Sabalenka, the World No 2 from Belarus, advanced to her 10th consecutive Hologic WTA Tour quarter-final after defeating Keys, the 18th seeded American, 6-4 6-3, in the Last 16.
Finding the consistency that has eluded her in the past, Sabalenka has not lost since the Toronto quarter-finals in August, compiling a personal-best 15-match winning streak, equating to the run she made from 2020 Ostrava through 2021 Dubai, a stretch which saw her capture her first Grand Slam title at the 2021 Australian Open.
She now has won 30 of 31 sets over her recent span of her 15 wins, dropping a set only to Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova in the 3rd-round of the US Open, while her run of 10 consecutive quarter-finals is further proof of her remarkable consistency this season.
In the last 15 years, only current World No 1 Iga Swiatek, who made 12 straight quarter-finals last year, has compiled a longer streak.
“But, also in the past, I had a lot of difficult things to face,” said Sabalenka, who credits a clearer mindset of late. “After you face certain things, you realise it’s just sport.
“Okay, if you’re not going to win this match, what happens? Nobody going to die. You’re not going to die. It’s okay. You’re going to go in another tournament, and you’re going to try your best in the next one.
“Before it felt like if I’m not going to win this match, something bad is going to happen. I’m going to die, whatever. But these kinds of thoughts create all of that pressure, all of that frustration, all of that crazy stuff.
“Nowadays I’m just working hard, I’m trying to improve myself every day. Every time I’m on the court, I’m trying to give my best. If you give your best, and you didn’t win the match, okay. You learn and you try better next time.”
Sabalenka’s new-found consistency has put her in a position to chase down the No 1 ranking over the final weeks of the season, which will include the last WTA 1000 of the year next week at the Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open and the season-ending championships at the WTA Finals Riyadh.
Improving her record against Keys to 4-1, Sabalenka served at 72% and won 84% of her first-serve points, losing just 5 in the match, which successfully diffused the American’s baseline threat.
She also saved both break points she faced to go unbroken in the match, and while Keys played a clean match, the American’s inability to break through the Belarusian serve resulted a swift departure after just 65 minutes.
Keys finished with 22 winners to just 10 unforced errors, but converted her first-serve point just 56% of the time, while Sabalenka struck 14 winners to just 8 unforced errors.
Karolina Muchova had little difficulty getting past Cristina Bucsa into the Last 8 on Day 8 of the WTA 1000 in Beijing, China
Sabalenka is now into her 3rd consecutive Beijing quarter-final, and is bidding to make her first semi-final at the China Open if she can get past US Open semi-finalist Karolina Muchova.
The 28-year old from the Czech Republic is healthy again, and won 5 straight matches at the US Open, before running into finalist Jessica Pegula in the Last 4, while, here in China, she has dropped just 12 games in her 4 matches reaching the quarters.
Her 4th-round opponent, Cristina Bucsa from Spain, is ranked No 79, and while they had never played each other before, she proved easy pickings, Muchova winning through, 6-2 6-0, in just 69 minutes.
The Czech had never won a match at the China Open when she landed at Beijing Capital International Airport last week, and is now into her first WTA 1000 quarter-final in over year, where she will face Sabalenka, whom she has beaten in their past 2 meetings, in the semi-finals at the French Open and Cincinnati last year.
“It’s going to be nice to get that challenge and see, again, to compare my game to hers,” Muchova told WTA Insider. “It’s what tennis is about. Where do you get more learning experience than when you challenge the best? So I’m really grateful for that opportunity.”
Ranked 49 coming into Beijing, Muchova has now won 9 of past 10 matches and will rise to at least 41 in the live WTA listings.
“I think the US Open helped me a lot,” Muchova added. “I had good matches, had to get through some tough battles as well.
“I had a practice set there before the tournament with Iga [Swiatek] that really helped me a lot, to see how I could do and deal. 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.”
Last year, after a break-out summer that included her first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros, first WTA 1000 final in Cincinnati, and first US Open semi-final, she shut down her season and ultimately underwent wrist surgery, returning to the tour this summer on the grass in Eastbourne.
By her 3rd tournament, she was playing the final in Palermo, where she lost to top-seeded Zheng Qinwen.
Naomi Osaka admitted on social media that she should not have played against Coco Gauff on Tuesday because of a back issue sustained in practice
Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka, who, on Tuesday night, pulled out of her Last 16 match against 4th-seeded Coco Gauff at a set all due to a back issue, took to social media to give fans more details about her retirement.
The former World No 1 stated that she faced an issue with her back during practice, and was not fully fit for the 4th-round contest in Beijing, but she decided to give it a go.
“Hi everyone, just wanted to say I’m extremely thankful and happy to have played in Beijing,” Osaka wrote. “That being said I feel, like, I owe a little backstory about today – So, I locked my back up during practice earlier and, honestly, wasn’t sure if I could even play, but I just wanted to try. Unfortunately things just got progressively worse during the match. Totally worth it, though, lol.”
No 17 seed Mirra Andreeva from Russia reached her 4th quarter-final of 2024, all at WTA 1000 level or above, with a straight-sets defeat of Magda Linette, the No 31 seed from Poland.
The 17-year old has not lost a set at the China Open on her way to the quarters, and will face 5th-seeded Zheng Qinwen for a spot in the Last 4.
A first time title winner earlier this summer, as well as an Olympic silver medalist, Andreeva, who also reached the semi-finals of Roland Garros, had a disappointing US hard court swing, but has rebounded in China, producing a superb performance to dispatch Linette.
She dominated the match, winning 58% of points on her serve, and firing 13 winners to only 14 unforced errors, compared to 27 from Linette.
She also sealed 7 of the 11 break points she faced, winning through in 73 minutes.
It is a 29th win of the season for Andreeva, making her one of the most successful on tour, and also her 7th career quarter-final. Keep tuning in to the China Open to see how these incredible athletes continue to perform in the tournament!
