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Andreeva beats Alexandrova to reach China Open semifinals and next faces Bartunkova

PUBLISHED Oct 8, 2026, 10:22 AM ET

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Mirra Andreeva reached the China Open semifinals on Thursday, defeating Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6(4), 7-6(3) in Beijing. The fourth-seeded Russian, the reigning French Open champion, earned her first victory over Alexandrova after losing their previous two meetings. Andreeva recovered after surrendering a 4-1 second-set lead and being broken while serving at 5-3, then controlled the decisive tiebreak to complete the 1-hour, 53-minute match. She will face Czech 20-year-old Nikola Bartunkova, who reached her first WTA 1000 semifinal by defeating seventh-seeded Karolina Muchova 6-3, 6-0 in 67 minutes. Bartunkova also upset second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka earlier in Beijing and will make her top-30 debut after the tournament. Andreeva is seeking her fourth singles title of the season and has reached her fourth career WTA 1000 semifinal. The semifinal is scheduled for Saturday, with Andreeva entering as higher-ranked player. The result makes Andreeva the youngest China Open semifinalist since 2007, according to the WTA.

By Haya | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

On June 6, 2026, Andreeva won Roland Garros, first major.
On September 5, 2026, Andreeva defeated Bartunkova at US Open.
On October 2, 2026, Andreeva defeated Yue Yuan in Beijing.
On October 4, 2026, Andreeva defeated Polina Kudermetova in Beijing.
On October 6, 2026, Andreeva defeated Daria Snigur in Beijing.
On October 8, 2026, Bartunkova defeated Muchova 6-3, 6-0 decisively.
On October 8, 2026, Andreeva defeated Alexandrova in two tiebreaks.
On October 8, 2026, Andreeva secured her first Beijing semifinal.
On October 10, 2026, Andreeva and Bartunkova are scheduled semifinalists.
After Beijing, 2026, Andreeva continues pursuing her fourth singles title.

News Intelligence

Immediate US impact: U.S. tennis fans gain another major storyline from Beijing’s semifinal.
Possible long-term US impact: Andreeva’s progress could strengthen U.S. interest in emerging women’s tennis.
Most affected groups: Tennis fans, broadcasters, sponsors, coaches, players, and WTA stakeholders worldwide.
Reader priority: Prioritize official scores and independent reports over recycled wire stories.

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