Elise Mertens produced one of the standout performances of the China Open on Friday night, beating eighth seed Iga Swiatek 7-6(0), 6-3 in Beijing to reach the semifinals of the WTA 1000 tournament for the first time.
Key takeaways
- Mertens needed 1 hour and 50 minutes to dismiss Swiatek in straight sets.
- The Belgian claimed her first victory over Swiatek in three WTA Tour meetings.
- It is Mertens’ first WTA 1000 singles semifinal since 2021, and the third of her career.
- Her Beijing run has included wins over Grand Slam champions Jelena Ostapenko, Coco Gauff and Swiatek.
- Swiatek’s defeat confirmed WTA Finals Indian Wells qualification for Mirra Andreeva and Linda Noskova.
Mertens breaks new ground in Beijing
The Belgian held her nerve in a flawless first-set tiebreak, taking it 7-0 before moving clear of the former world No. 1 in the second set. The two-set result sent Mertens into the last four of the draw after a demanding sequence of opponents.
She has now beaten three consecutive major champions at the same event for the first time in her career. Ostapenko, Gauff and Swiatek have all fallen during her run in the Chinese capital.
Mertens had previously defeated more than one Grand Slam champion at only one tournament: her 2019 Doha title campaign. On that occasion, she overcame Angelique Kerber in the semifinals and Simona Halep in the championship match.
Her victories over Gauff and Swiatek also make her the first player since Aryna Sabalenka in 2018 to defeat two former China Open winners in one edition of the tournament.
WTA Finals field gains two more qualifiers
Swiatek’s quarterfinal exit had consequences beyond the Beijing draw, as Mirra Andreeva and Linda Noskova secured places at the WTA Finals Indian Wells.
Andreeva and Noskova will each make their singles debut at the season-ending championships. Both arrive after breakthrough seasons that included their first Grand Slam titles, with Andreeva winning Roland Garros and Noskova lifting the Wimbledon trophy.
