Karolina Muchova +13 in WTA Rankings as she ends Aryna Sabalenka’s winning streak at China Open
Karolina Muchova ended Aryna Sabalenka’s 15-match winning streak as she downed the Belarusian in a thrilling three-set quarter-final at the China Open.
The Czech earned a dramatic 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-4 victory against world No 2 Sabalenka to progress to the last four of the WTA 1000 event in Beijing.
Muchova saved two set points en route to edging the opening set on a tiebreak, before Sabalenka broke twice in a dominant second set display to level the match.
Sabalenka looked on course for the semi-finals when she led 4-2 in the final set, but Muchova made a superb late comeback.
Muchova broke back when trailing 3-4 and won the last 10 points of the match to earn her third consecutive win against Sabalenka. This improves Muchova’s record against three-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka to an impressive 3-1.
Sabalenka had not lost since the Canadian Open in August and had dropped just a single set in her 15 straight wins — a run that featured titles in Cincinnati and at the US Open.
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On the turnaround in the deciding set, Muchova said: “Tennis is really a roller coaster… You never know. I tried to fight for every ball.
“In the end it was worth it. I’m here standing now, winning. It’s fun, it’s crazy. I’m really glad.”
The 28-year-old has climbed 13 places from 49th to 36th place in the live WTA Rankings for her run to the last four.
Muchova, who reached a career-high ranking of world No 8 in September last year, could climb to 30th if she is a runner-up or 22nd if she claims the title.
The Czech will take on either Mirra Andreeva or Zheng Qinwen in the semi-finals in Beijing as she continues her bid for the biggest title of her career.
She won her only title to date at the 2019 Korea Open, while she has lost in four WTA singles finals — including at the French Open and the Cincinnati Open.
Muchova’s success in Beijing continues her impressive form since her return to the tour in June following a nine-month absence due to a wrist injury that required surgery. She was a finalist in Palermo in July and a semi-finalist at the US Open last month.
The 28-year-old is the second Czech woman to reach the semi-finals of the China Open after Petra Kvitova, who made the last four in 2013, 2014 and 2017.
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