Emma Navarro stunned Iga Swiatek at the China Open, delivering a statement performance. The world number two suffered a 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 defeat to world number 17, Navarro.
The final set was the most shocking, as Swiatek was swept aside completely and had no response. It marked Navarro’s first quarterfinal appearance of the season and her fourth career win over a top-five opponent.
Navarro will now face her fellow American, Jessica Pegula, in the quarterfinals. Pegula comes in as the heavy favorite, but after Navarro’s win against Swiatek, predicting the outcome of that clash is far from straightforward. A quarterfinal win would mark Navarro’s second career appearance in a WTA semifinal.
Both players are familiar with each other, having met twice before with Pegula winning on both occasions.