Navarro blanks Swiatek in final set to move on in Beijing

Sixteenth seed Emma Navarro took down top seed Iga Swiatek in three sets on Wednesday to book her place in the WTA China Open quarterfinals -- her eighth of the season and first at WTA 1000 level. The result also gave the American her fourth career win against a top-five opponent.

Navarro blanks top seed in final set

Swiatek opened the match with an early break, but Navarro responded by breaking the world No. 2 twice and holding on to take the first set 6-4. The Pole battled back to claim the second set 6-4 before Navarro dominated the decider, closing out the match 6-0.

Swiatek, who committed 70 unforced errors, had won their only previous meeting in the quarterfinals of this year’s Australian Open in straight sets while dropping just three games

American surge in Beijing

Navarro’s run comes as part of a strong showing from American players in Beijing. She joins Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Amanda Anisimova in the last eight, making it the first time since the tournament’s inception in 2004 that four Americans have reached the quarterfinals. 

This also marks the first time that four Americans have reached the quarter-final at a Tier 1/WTA-1000 event outside of North America since Tokyo in 2003.

Pegula next up in the quarterfinal

Navarro will next face Pegula, who also needed three sets to beat 23rd seed Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-3, 6-7, 6-1 in the last match of the day. This was the American's fourth win in five career meetings on the tour against her Ukrainian rival.

While Pegula will be aiming to reach her 12th career WTA 1000 semi-final, Navarro will be gunning for her second. Pegula holds a 2-0 head-to-head record against her compatriot, including a three-set win in Bad Homburg on grass earlier in the season.