Coco Gauff, the current title holder, secured a straight-set victory against Eva Leys, advancing to her third successive semi-final appearance at the China Open.
The world’s third-ranked player needed one hour and 28 minutes to defeat her German adversary with scores of 6-3, 6-4.
The American athlete, a two-time Grand Slam champion, achieved three breaks against Leys in the initial set, successfully converting three out of her four breakpoint opportunities.
“I am pleased with my performance; she’s a formidable competitor and executed some remarkable shots while on the move, but I focused on playing assertively and delivering quality tennis,” Gauff commented.
“Maintaining confidence in my gameplay [was crucial]. Avoiding excessive passivity when holding the lead; I had one instance of passive play in the final game, but afterward, I played effectively.”
Gauff, who has experienced inconsistencies with her serve at times during the season, demonstrated an impressive 79% first serve success rate throughout the match.
The 21-year-old, who exited in the first round of Wimbledon after her triumph at the French Open earlier in the year, now holds the position of the highest-ranked player remaining in the tournament.
In the semi-finals, she is set to compete against either Amanda Anisimova or Jasmine Paolini.
