Rain saves Svitolina at Hong Kong Open

Top-seeded Elina Svitolina has had her tight Hong Kong Open quarter-final delayed by rain but Australian hopeful Daria Gavrilova has been knocked out.

Chinese ace Wang Qiang

China's Wang Qiang is close to knocking top seed Elina Svitolina out of the Hong Kong Open. (AAP)

Top-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina is close to bowing out of the Hong Kong Open but rain has disrupted her quarter-final match.

Sixth-seeded Wang Qiang of China was leading Svitolina 6-2 5-2 and serving at 15-30, when their match on Friday was suspended until Saturday.

Svitolina started the week as one of five players still in contention to earn a place in the eight-player WTA Finals in Singapore.

Even if she ends up losing the quarter-final to Wang, she could still possibly land a berth in the WTA Finals.

In order to do that, she would need to play the Moscow tournament next week. She's currently not entered, but could request a main draw wild card.

Meanwhile, Australian seventh seed Daria Gavrilova was not to so fortunate in Hong Kong on Friday.

She was bundled out in straight sets by unseeded Chinese opponent Zhang Shuai 6-1 6-3 in a lopsided centre court encounter.

Gavrilova was unable to establish a rhythm from the outset and offered little resistance as Zhang closed out a straight forward victory.

She fired down five aces, converted six break points and reeled off seven straight games to end the 24-year-old world No.34's title hopes.

Zhang will next play 18-year-old Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, who got past Slovakia's Kristina Kucova 7-6 (8-6) 6-2.

Fourth-seed Garbine Muguruza made her first semifinal since the French Open in June after beating Thailand's Luksika Kumkhum 6-2 7-5.

Muguruza has played seven tournaments since the French Open and this marks the first time she's strung together three match wins. She's hasn't dropped a set this week en route to the semi-finals.


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Source: AAP



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