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Nicolas Atkin

Wang Qiang had laughed uproariously on Thursday when asked about her chances against Samantha Stosur ahead of their quarter-final at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open.
“My body feels not so good today,” Wang said. “I hope I can stay on court tomorrow – I have a cold.”
Not only did the Chinese world number 48 stay on the court, she blew Australian Stosur off it with a surprisingly clinical display in a stunning 7-5, 6-2 win.
With it, the 25-year-old kept alive China’s hopes in the singles draw at Victoria Park, where she will play her first semi-final of the season against Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

At times in a tight first set, Wang looked like she may be forced to become the latest withdrawal from a tournament that has seen nearly all of its top seeds succumb to injury and pull out.
Caroline Wozniacki and Elina Svitolina joined the injury exodus on Thursday, after US Open champion Sloane Stephens and Johanna Konta withdrew ahead of the tournament.
‘Special’ Hong Kong Tennis Open can take step up in status on tour, says WTA chief
And Wang admitted that she was extremely close to retiring on Friday after just three games when she needed to take a medical timeout.
Watch: Take a tour of the Hong Kong Tennis Open village


“I felt really sick and I could not see the ball, but my coach pushed me a lot,” she told her post-match press conference, laughing again.
Asked if she was glad that he had encouraged her to play on, Wang smiled.
“Not really!” she said. “But there was nothing that I could do.”
She had her temperature and blood pressure checked by the doctor on court before eating some biscuits and deciding to soldier on.

It seemed to do the trick, as she hung in there to keep the first set on serve before breaking Stosur in the 11th game and holding for a one-set lead after 66 minutes.
The Chinese number three then broke 33-year-old Stosur twice in a decidedly shorter second set to seal victory just half an hour later, in front of a partisan Centre Court crowed that roared after every point she won.
‘Sloane Stephens wasn’t at her best’: Chinese star Wang Qiang stays humble as she heads to Hong Kong Tennis Open after beating US Open champ
It was certainly a shock, all things considered. Stosur may have just returned from an eight-week injury absence for the Asia swing, but she was clicking into top gear, enjoying her deepest run at a tournament since coming back and looking like the tournament favourite given the decimated draw.
Beating a former US Open champion is no small order, either, and Wang seemed more surprised than anyone that she managed to get the job done in the physical state that she was in.

“Yes, because I’m still sick,” she said, clutching a towel around her neck and shoulders as she shivered speaking into the microphone in the media tent.
The plan was to go to bed early and get a good night’s rest. “I hope I can play better tomorrow,” she said.
With a clean bill of health, there could be no stopping her reaching Sunday’s final in this mood.
SATURDAY’S ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court
From 2pm
Jennifer Brady (US) vs [7] Daria Gavrilova (Australia) 
Wang Qiang (China) vs [6] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) 
After suitable rest
Lu Jingjing (China) and Wang Qiang (China) vs Monique Adamczak (Australia) and Chang Kai-chen (Taiwan)


UK family struggles mean Taiwan’s Garland ‘not over’ losing AU$1 million to Aussie amateur

Australian Open: Hong Kong champs Mboko, Bublik make history; Alcaraz, Gauff win

Victoria Mboko says it’s ‘pretty nice’ to win Hong Kong title after marathon 3-set thriller

Victoria Mboko into final as misfortune hits Leylah Fernandez at Hong Kong Tennis Open

Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open

‘I couldn’t even see the ball’ … but flu can’t stop China’s Wang Qiang reaching Hong Kong Tennis Open semis

Wang Qiang of China against Samantha Stosur in their Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open quarter-final at Victoria Park. Photo: Nora Tam

Australia Samantha Stosur in action a match in Hong Kong Tennis Open 2017 at Victoria Park Tennis Centre. 13OCT17 SCMP / Nora Tam

Qiang Wang of China in action a match in Hong Kong Tennis Open 2017 at Victoria Park Tennis Centre. 13OCT17 SCMP / Nora Tam

epa06263452 Qiang Wang of China in action against Samantha Stosur of Australia during their Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open quarterfinals match in Hong Kong, China, 13 October 2017. EPA-EFE/ALEX HOFFORD

I tried but I just couldn’t – Wozniacki apologises to fans after she becomes latest star to pull out of Hong Kong Tennis Open

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark was forced to withdraw from the Hong Kong Tennis Open moments before her match was set to begin. Photo: EPA

epa06260791 Shuai Zhang of China in action against Jennifer Brady of USA during their Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open match in Hong Kong, China, 12 October 2017. Brady beat Zhang in two sets: 6-3, 6-4. EPA-EFE/ALEX HOFFORD

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark reacts after losing a point to Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic during their third round of the women's singles match in the China Open tennis tournament at the Diamond Court in Beijing, Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

(170925) -- WUHAN, Sept. 25, 2017(Xinhua) -- Samantha Stosur of Australia returns the ball during the singles first round match against Jil Teichmann of Switzerland at 2017 WTA Wuhan Open in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, on Sept. 25, 2017. Jil Teichmann won 2-1. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)(wdz)

Zhang Shuai of China in action during a match in Hong Kong Tennis Open 2017 at Victoria Park Tennis Centre. 12OCT17 SCMP / Dickson Lee

Wang Qiang of China hits a return during her women's singles match against Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing on October 1, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / GREG BAKER

epa06248639 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine blows her hands during her women's singles quarterfinals match against Caroline Garcia of France at the China Open tennis tournament at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, China, 06 October 2017. EPA-EFE/HOW HWEE YOUNG

Sport

Tennis

Chinese number three shakes off illness to record shock win against former US Open champion Samantha Stosur and reach semi-finals at Victoria Park


‘I couldn’t even see the ball’ … but flu can’t stop China’s Wang Qiang reaching Hong Kong Tennis Open semis

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Chinese number three shakes off illness to record shock win against former US Open champion Samantha Stosur and reach semi-finals at Victoria Park

Chinese number three shakes off illness to record shock win against former US Open champion Samantha Stosur and reach semi-finals at Victoria Park