Carlos Alcaraz stormed into the China Open quarterfinals on Sunday, needing just 56 minutes to dispatch Tallon Griekspoor, while world No. 595 Zhang Shuai continued her fairy-tale run.
Despite rain causing schedule disruptions in Beijing, the four-time Grand Slam champion wasted no time on Diamond Court, cruising to a commanding 6-1, 6-2 victory.
Griekspoor, ranked 39th, was left stunned by Alcaraz's relentless performance.
"I just want to keep going, to keep getting more and more wins," said Alcaraz after racking up his 200th tour-level victory.
Alcaraz, the second seed behind Jannik Sinner, faces seventh-seeded Karen Khachanov next after delivering an ominous warning of intent.
Alcaraz, who was beaten in the second round of the recent U.S. Open, conceded that "the last couple of tournaments didn't feel as good as I wanted."
"Right now, I feel ready, I feel good. I feel like my tennis came back," he said.
Khachanov booked his spot with a hard-fought 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (11-9) victory over Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo.
In the only other completed men's match, Chinese wildcard Bu Yunchaokete pulled off a shock 6-2, 6-4 win over Italian sixth seed Lorenzo Musetti.
There was more home joy in the women’s draw as Chinese wildcard Zhang Shuai reached the last 16, adding another chapter to her Cinderella-like tournament.
The 35-year-old, who had not won a singles match in more than 600 days before arriving at the prestigious WTA 1000 event last week, has now won three in a row after a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Belgium's Greet Minnen.
Zhang, the lowest-ranked player ever to reach the China Open third round, will next face Poland's 23rd seed Magdalena Frech.
Hailing from Tianjin, near Beijing, Zhang said she feels very much at home on the hard courts of the Chinese capital.
So much so that she jokingly compared herself to Rafael Nadal at the French Open.
"When I am on the court, I feel like Rafa Nadal on Court Philippe-Chatrier," she laughed.
U.S. Open runner-up Jessica Pegula survived a scare to set up a meeting with Spain's Paula Badosa.
The second seed from the United States fought back to beat Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova 6-7 (9-11), 6-1, 6-2.
Pegula, 30, is chasing her seventh WTA Tour title.
Badosa, ranked 19th, booked her place with a straight-sets win over Slovakian qualifier Rebecca Sramkova.
Also advancing was fourth seed Coco Gauff, who beat Britain’s Katie Boulter 7-5, 6-2.
Top women's seed Aryna Sabalenka, who defeated Pegula in New York earlier this month for her third Grand Slam crown, is also in the tournament.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek is absent from Beijing due to “personal matters.”
