World number 46 Magda Linette beat this year’s Roland Garros and Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini 6-4 6-0 in 1 hour and 26 minutes at the China Open in Beijing to earn the fifth win of her career. Both Linette and Paolini earned nine break points, but Linette saved seven chances, while Paolini fended off three.
Linette reached her second consecutive Round of 16 at the China Open, after losing to her compatriot Iga Swiatek at the same of this tournament.
Linette set up a fourth-round match against 2024 Roland Garros semifinalist Mirra Andreeva, who came back from one set down to beat 2024 Wimbledon semifinalist
Linette converted her third break point after a double fault from Paolini in the first game. The Polish player saved a break-back point in the second game before breaking Paolini’s serve for the second time to open up a 3-0 lead. Paolini bounced back by winning four consecutive games with two breaks of serve to take a 4-3 lead. Paolini earned another break point in the eighth game but Linette saved it with her serve. Linette earned her second break in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead and served out the first set 6-4 at deuce after saving two break points winning her third consecutive game.
Linette went up a double break in the first and third games to open up a 3-0 lead. The Polish player earned her third break to close out the match 6-0.
Linette avenged her defeat to Paolini, who had won their previous head-to-head match by the scoreline of 6-4 6-1 in the third round at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Linette has become the second Polish player to book a spot in the fourth round, joining her compatriot Magdalena Frech, who beat Diana Schnaider in the third round reaching her second WTA 1000 Round of 16 of the year. Frech won her first WTA Tour title in Guadalajara reaching a career-high of world number 31 in the WTA Ranking.
