Thrilling Upsets and Tough Battles at the China Open

Paula Badosa triumphed over Jessica Pegula, advancing to the China Open quarter-finals. Badosa's first win against Pegula came after a strong comeback. Zhang Shuai also made headlines by ending a 24-match losing streak to reach the quarter-finals. The tournament saw exciting matches featuring top players like Osaka, Gauff, Alcaraz, and Medvedev.

Paula Badosa reeled off 11 of the last 12 games in a 6-4, 6-0 victory over US Open finalist Jessica Pegula at the China Open on Tuesday, securing her eighth career quarter-final at a WTA 1000-level event. From 3-1 down in the opening set, former No. 2-ranked Badosa dominated in her first-ever win over third-ranked Pegula.

"She's one of the players I never want to face -- she's very solid, hits very flat, changes direction very well," said Badosa, who was 0-3 previously against Pegula. "I prepared myself for a battle, but I think today everything worked pretty well.

"Every point was very important for me, especially against Jessica, because she can come back at any moment.'' Badosa next faces 35-year-old Chinese player Zhang Shuai, who continued her resurgence with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Magdalena Frech of Poland.

Zhang entered the China Open on a 24-match losing streak and ranked No. 595, but she's yet to drop a set in four matches this week. This includes eliminating US Open semi-finalist Emma Navarro in straight sets for her first win over a Top 10 player in two years.

Zhang is now in her first women's tour quarter-final since Tokyo in 2022, and her first at a WTA 1000 tournament since Cincinnati in the same year. Later Tuesday, No. 14-ranked Anna Kalinskaya was scheduled to meet Yuliia Starodubtseva of Ukraine, before the marquee women's match of the day between four-time major winner Naomi Osaka and sixth-ranked Coco Gauff.

It will be the first meeting between the two Grand Slam champions in over two years, with the head-to-head series tied at 2-2.

On the men's side, Carlos Alcaraz was playing fifth-ranked Daniil Medvedev in the first semi-final, with the Spaniard holding a 5-2 advantage in their head-to-head history.

Defending champion and top-ranked Janner Sinner was set to face No. 96-ranked Bu Yunchaokete, playing in his first ATP 500 semi-final.

(With inputs from agencies.)