Wuhan Open: Paolini advances to quarter-finals

Italian Jasmine Paolini, the No 3 seed, advanced to the last eight of the Wuhan Open by defeating Russian lucky loser Erika Andreeva 6-3, 6-2 at the Optics Valley International Tennis Center on Thursday.

The win moves the Italian into the Wuhan quarter-finals for the first time and into her third WTA 1000 quarter-final. It was also her 14th win in WTA 1000 events (39th win overall) this season, which is the second most by an Italian woman after Sara Errani’s 19 WTA 1000 wins in 2013.

Paolini has now beaten Erika Andreeva in all three meetings so far (while she is 1-2 against younger sister, Mirra Andreeva).

Paolini, ranked No 6, will play the winner of the match between Chinese Qinwen Zheng, the No 5 seed, and Canadian Leylah Fernandez next.

The Italian, who reached the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon earlier this season, won against Chinese Yue Yuan (6-4, 6-3) in the previous round of the tournament.

Earlier in the week, Andreeva, ranked No 70, beat Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska (7-5, 6-4) and her younger sister, the No 16 seed Mirra Andreeva (6-3, 6-1).

Wuhan WTA 1000, other round of 16 results (Optics Valley International Tennis Center, hard, USD 3,221,715):

• Xinyu Wang beat Jessica Pegula (2): 6-3, 7-5
• Ekaterina Alexandrova beat Hailey Baptiste (Q): 6-1, 6-1
• Magda Linette beat Daria Kasatkina (8): 6-2, 6-3
• Coco Gauff (4) beat Marta Kostyuk (13): 6-4, 6-1
• Beatriz Haddad Maia vs. Magdalena Frech
• Aryna Sabalenka vs. Yulia Putintseva
• Qinwen Zheng vs. Leylah Fernandez

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