China Open 2018: Caroline Wozniacki, Juan Martin del Potro Advance to Finals

Caroline Wozniacki will play Anastasija Sevastova in the 2018 China Open final after they progressed through their respective semi-finals on Saturday in Beijing.

Wozniacki eased past local favourite Qiang Wang 6-1, 6-3, while Sevastova upset Naomi Osaka, also in straight sets.

In the men's final, Juan Martin del Potro will play Nikoloz Basilashvili after the former's semi-final opponent Fabio Fognini was forced to withdraw with an ankle injury. Basilashvili needed just two sets to get past Edmund in the day's final match.

Saturday Results

Men's Draw

(1) Juan Martin del Potro bt. Fabio Fognini (withdrew)

Nikoloz Basilashvili bt. (5) Kyle Edmund, 7-6 (8), 6-4

Women's Draw

(2) Caroline Wozniacki bt. Qiang Wang, 6-1, 6-3

Anastasija Sevastova bt. (8) Naomi Osaka, 6-4, 6-4

For full results and upcoming schedule, visit the China Open website.

Saturday Recap

Wang had enjoyed a strong run to reach the semi-final on home soil, beating Jelena Ostapenko and Karolina Pliskova along the way, but winning against Wozniacki proved a step too far.

The Dane was ruthless in their opening set, dropping just one game as she dictated proceedings:

With the score at 3-1, Wozniacki saved three break points to prevent Wang regaining a foothold in the contest, and the 28-year-old eventually sealed the first set.

Wozniacki opened the second set with a break of serve for a 2-0 lead, and though Wang was able to break back as she won three games in a row, she was unable to complete what would have been a memorable comeback.

Sevastova's clash with Osaka was a closer contest.

After the former saved two break points to level the score at 3-3 in the first set, the latter sent a backhand long to give up a break in the following game.

It was a recurring theme throughout the match, with U.S. Open champion Osaka making mistakes at key moments:

Reaching the final will have an impressive impact on Sevastova's ranking, and WTA Insider charted her remarkable rise in recent years:

Wozniacki has momentum after easing through her last two matches in relative comfort, but Sevastova shouldn't be ruled out.

Meanwhile, Del Potro didn't have to play at all on Saturday. Per Record's Jose Morgado, Fognini's withdrawal came after he pulled out of the Shanghai Masters on Friday, though at the time he had hoped to play in his semi-final.

Edmund and Basilashvili served up a fun finale to the day's action, as the two matched each other stroke for stroke in the opening set.

It was the Georgian who took the opener in a tiebreak despite falling behind a mini-break. This incredible return was one of the key shots:

Basilashvili converted his momentum into an early break in the second set and appeared set to cruise to the finish line, serving out proceedings until he got within a game of the win. Edmund found his much-needed break down 5-3, only to lose the match in the next game.