Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the China Open quarterfinals in just 56 minutes on Sunday, while 595th-ranked Zhang Shuai continued her remarkable run. Rain in Beijing disrupted the schedule, but four-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz advanced quickly under the Diamond Court roof, defeating Tallon Griekspoor 6-1, 6-2. The 39th-ranked Dutchman appeared astonished. “I just want to keep going, to keep getting more and more wins,” Alcaraz stated after winning his 200th tour-level title. Alcaraz, the second seed after Jannik Sinner, will play seventh-seeded Karen Khachanov next, following a stern warning from the 21-year-old Spaniard.
Alcaraz, who was eliminated in the second round of the recent US Open, admitted that the “last couple of tournaments didn’t feel as good as I wanted”. “Right now, I feel ready and good. “I feel like my tennis came back,” he remarked. Russian Khachanov secured his spot with a hard-fought 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (11/9) victory over Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo. In the men’s draw’s only other match of the day, Chinese wildcard Bu Yunchaokete defeated Italian sixth seed Lorenzo Musetti 6-2, 6-4.
Zhang Shuai a Chinese wildcard, advanced to the final 16 in the women’s draw, adding to her fairytale tournament success. The 35-year-old hadn’t won a singles match in over 600 days when she arrived at the prestigious WTA 1000 event last week. The two-time Grand Slam singles quarter-finalist, who has been troubled by ailments, defeated Greet Minnen of Belgium 6-2, 6-3 to win his third match in a row.
Zhang, who faced Minnen as the lowest-ranked player ever to reach the third round of the China Open, will next face Poland’s 23rd seed, Magdalena Frech. Zhang is from Tianjin, near Beijing, and claimed she felt very much at home on the hard. “When I am on the court I feel so like Rafa Nadal on Court Philippe-Chatrier,” she said with humor. US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula overcame a fright to meet with Spain’s Paula Badosa. The second seed from the United States battled back to defeat Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova 6-7 (9/11), 6-1, 6-2.
Pegula, 30, is aiming for her seventh WTA Tour championship. Badosa, rated 19th, advanced by defeating Slovakian qualifier Rebecca Sramkova in straight sets. Fourth seed Coco Gauff advanced as well, defeating Britain’s Katie Boulter 7-5, 6-2. Aryna Sabalenka is the top women’s seed in Beijing, having beaten Pegula in New York earlier this month for her third Grand Slam title.