By Tennis Now | Friday, October 5, 2018
Chinese No. 1 Qiang Wang rallied from 0-3 down to dispatch Aryna Sabalenka, 7-5, 7-5, and roar into the Beijing semifinals for the first time.
Photo credit: China Open Facebook
Wang Qiangplays tough tennis on home turf.
The Chinese No. 1 rallied from 0-3 down to dispatchAryna Sabalenka, 7-5, 7-5, and roar into the Beijing semifinals for the first time.
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Wild card Wang has now won 16 of her last 18 matches on home soil, including her seond career title in Guangzhou and her surge to the Wuhan semifinals.
Wuhan champion Sabalenka saw her eight-match winning streak come to an end just one round after she fought back from a set and 2-5 down dethroning defending championCaroline Garcia, 5-7, 7-6 (3), 6-0.
Playing with taping wrapping her left thigh, Wang converted four of six break points in a one-hour 45-minute victory.
The 20-year-old Belarusian burst out to a 3-0 lead, but Wang's quick court coverage, consistency and counter-strike skills sparked her rally in the opening set.
Sabalenka more than doubled her opponent's winner total (32 to 14), but spit up 45 unforced errors—33 more than her opponent.
Wang broke for a 6-5 second-set lead when Sabalenka dragged a crosscourt forehand wide.
Serving for the semifinals, the Chinese baseliner was two points from victory when Sabalenka scalded a backhand down the line for break point.
On the defensive, Wang sprinted sideline-to-sideline and roped a running backhand winner down the line to deny break point.
That shot helped Wang cross the finish line.
Sabalenka put a flat backhand into net giving Wang match point. Forcing her powerful opponent to play another shot, Wang closed when Sabalenka netted a forehand.
The 26-year-old Wang meets Australian Open championCaroline Wozniackifor a spot in the final.
The second-seeded Dane defeatedKaterina Siniakova, 6-2, 6-2.
Wozniacki has won three of four meetings with Wang, including their two encounters in Beijing, in 2015 and 2017.