Against Yuliia Starodubtseva, a Ukrainian qualifier, Gauff was not at her best and was unable to hit a winner in the first set.
The unexpected quarterfinalist was defeated 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 by the world No. 6 seed, though, as she rallied to advance to her first WTA semifinal since the June Berlin Open.
Gauff’s victory indicates that she has successfully defended all of her ranking points in Beijing. In 2023, she made it to the last four of the competition.
For the 20-year-old, who dropped out of the top five after losing in the fourth round of the US Open, that is a huge lift.
With world No. 7 Zheng Qinwen after her, she could have fallen farther in the rankings if she hadn’t held onto her ranking points in the Chinese capital.
But regardless of what transpires in Beijing, Gauff, who is ranked 4,983 in both the official and live rankings, is now certain to be ahead of Qinwen.
The Chinese player currently has 4,075 points in the live rankings, and if she wins the WTA 1000 tournament, her score may only increase to a maximum of 4,860.
Gauff now has the chance to get back into the top five in the world should she win this weekend’s WTA 1000, which would be her second career championship.
The 20-year-old would rise to 5,593 ranking points with a victory, surpassing Jasmine Paolini, currently ranked No. 5, and Elena Rybakina, currently ranked No. 4.
Following her pre-tournament withdrawal, Rybakina’s 2023 semi-final points will be lost, and Paolini was defeated in the third round.
With his victory over Starodubtseva, Gauff has also gotten closer to surpassing a record held by Caroline Wozniacki at WTA 1000 events.
Before turning 21, the American has advanced to seven WTA 1000 semifinals; Wozniacki’s record of eight, set since the tournament’s inception in 2009, is currently under jeopardy.
Given that WTA 1000 events are scheduled in Dubai and Doha prior to the Wuhan Open next week, Gauff may be able to tie the Danish record there.
The resurgent Paula Badosa, who interrupted local favorite Zhang Shuai’s incredible run in their quarterfinal match on Thursday, will face Gauff next in Beijing.
Whatever happens in their semi-final match on Saturday, the Spaniard, who was once ranked as high as world No. 2, is certain to crack the top 15.
Although Gauff prevailed in their most recent meeting in the Italian Open in May, Badosa leads the two in their head-to-head match 3-2.