Gauff rallies to reach China Open semis

BEIJING (AP) — Sixth-ranked Coco Gauff again made a slow start and had to rally to beat Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 to make the China Open semifinals on Thursday.

Gauff will next play Paula Badosa of Spain, who earlier ended local wild card Zhang Shuai's unexpected run at the title.

The No. 115-ranked Yuliia Starodubtseva had not lost a set in her three matches this week and quickly took the lead, making 10 winners and holding Gauff to zero in an error-strewn first set for the American.

Gauff also lost the first set against Naomi Osaka in the previous round before Osaka retired because of a lower back injury. The American helped to carry Osaka’s bags off the court.

Former U.S. Open champion Gauff needed to find a response against Starodubtseva and saved two break points in her opening service game of the second set. A service break propelled Gauff ahead 3-1.

After another narrow escape on her next service game, Gauff lost only three more games for the rest of the match.

Zhang Shuai’s drought-busting week came to a shuddering halt as Badosa continued her own resurgence in a 6-1, 7-6 (4) victory in their quarterfinal.

The Spaniard has won 28 of her last 35 matches dating to May and made the semifinals of three of her past five tournaments. There was also a run to the U.S. Open quarterfinals last month.

But the story of the week has been the 35-year-old Zhang, who entered the China Open on a 24-match losing streak — the second longest in the Open era — and ranked No. 595. She didn't drop a set in four matches this week.

The Chinese wild card had no answer, though, to Badosa's fast start as the Spaniard made three service breaks to comfortably claim the opening set.

It was much closer in the second set as Badosa found herself down 3-1. She rallied and edged Zhang in the tiebreak.

Shanghai Masters

Italy's Matteo Berrettini bounced back from the disappointment of an injury ending his Japan Open last week by squeezing past Christopher O'Connell 7-6, (9) 7-6 (6) in the Shanghai first round.

The Italian, who retired with an abdominal injury in the second round in Tokyo last Friday, had his fitness given a stern examination by the Australian in a lung-busting match lasting two hours, 13 minutes.

Next up for the former Wimbledon finalist is No. 14-ranked Holger Rune.

Other first-round winners included Marcos Giron, David Goffin, Jaume Munar, Zhou Yi, Jakub Mensik and Miomir Kecmanovic.

The 32 seeded players received a first-round bye, including top-ranked Jannik Sinner and second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, who won the China Open against the Italian on Wednesday. Sinner starts against Taro Daniel of Japan, and Alcaraz faces Shang Juncheng of China.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis