Wildcard and world number 147 Wang Yafan was the pick of three Chinese players to storm into the semi-finals of their home WTA Jiangxi Open on Friday.
She is joined in Saturday’s last four in steamy Nanchang, southeast China, by fellow Chinese Peng Shuai and Han Xinyun, and Japan’s Nao Hibino.
It means at least one Chinese player is guaranteed to reach Sunday’s final of the hard court event that has been played in punishing temperatures of 39 degrees Celsius (102F).
The unfancied Wang defeated Hsieh Su-Wei of Taiwan 7-6 (9/7), 6-0 to book her place.
In the semi-finals Wang will go up against Hibino, who prevented an all-Chinese final four with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Lu Jingjing.
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