ZHUHAI, China: China’s number one Wang Qiang hailed a “miracle” after she outclassed double grand slam winner Garbine Muguruza on Saturday to book a place in the final of the WTA Elite Trophy.
The 26-year-old took full advantage of a late call-up to the semi-final tie in Zhuhai after American Madison Keys pulled out just hours before the match started.
Spurred on by home fans at the Hengqin International Tennis Center, Wang dominated the former world number one, winning 11 games in a row to take the match 6-2, 6-0 and set up a Sunday showdown against Ashleigh Barty.
The world number 22 looked calm and focused during the 73-minute semi-final, while Muguruza appeared out of sorts and frustrated, clattering her racket on to the court in the second set.
The 11th seed, who beat Keys on Friday night in a round-robin match, said she had hardly any time to get ready for the semi-final.
“I didn’t think about what to improve,” she said. “I just wanted to keep going.”
Muguruza said Wang’s performance was “excellent”, adding: “She was playing incredible shots and not missing anything.”
Barty earlier overcame defending champion Julia Goerges 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The Australian grew into the semi-final against Germany’s Goerges, seeded fifth, and dominated the third set to book her place in Sunday’s final.
Goerges dropped two service games in the deciding set as her opponent motored to victory.
Barty told her post-match press conference: “It’s always nice to get better as a match goes on. I felt pretty good physically out there.”
“I think I had to try an assert myself a little bit earlier in points,” Barty said when asked how she was able to turn the match around.
