China Open: Qualifier Starodubtseva through to fourth round

Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva reached the last 16 of the China Open by beating Armenian Elina Avanesyan 6-3, 6-1 on Sunday.

The Ukrainian is having a breakout season on the tour in 2024. She reached her first WTA-level quarter-final in Monastir as a qualifier and has been to 15 quarter-finals across all levels since the start of the 2023 season.

Starodubtseva, who only debuted in the WTA rankings list in March 2023 and is already now ranked No 115, will face the winner of the match between American Peyton Stearns and Russian Anna Kalinskaya, the No 10 seed, next at the National Tennis Center in Beijing.

The Ukrainian won against German Laura Siegemund (6-4, 7-6 (3)) and No 27 seed Katerina Siniakova (6-2, 6-2) in the previous rounds of the tournament. She had never won a WTA 1000 series match prior to this week.

Earlier in the week, Avanesyan, ranked No 47, defeated American lucky loser Emina Bektas (6-2, 7-5) and American Caroline Dolehide, the No 33 seed (6-3, 5-7, 6-2).

Beijing WTA 1000, other third-round matches (National Tennis Center, hard, USD 8,955,610):

• Paula Badosa (15) beat Rebecca Sramkova (Q): 7-5, 7-5
• Magdalena Frech (23) beat Diana Shnaider (12): 0-6, 6-3, 6-4
• Nadia Podoroska vs. Qinwen Zheng
• Daria Kasatkina vs. Amanda Anisimova
• Mirra Andreeva vs. Donna Vekic
• Jasmine Paolini vs. Magda Linette
• Karolina Muchova vs. Jaqueline Cristian
• Cristina Bucsa vs. Elise Mertens
• Madison Keys vs. Beatriz Haddad Maia
• Aryna Sabalenka vs. Ashlyn Krueger
• Katie Boulter vs. Coco Gauff
• Katie Volynets vs. Naomi Osaka
• Shuai Zhang vs. Greet Minnen
• Peyton Stearns vs. Anna Kalinskaya
• Veronika Kudermetova vs. Jessica Pegula