Karolina Muchova is now 7-2 against Top 3 players after her latest win over Sabalenka

Karolina Muchova played the role of giant-killer once again in Beijing on Friday, taking out No. 2-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 event, 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-4.

It snapped Sabalenka’s 15-match winning streak, which had taken her to back-to-back titles at Cincinnati and the US Open and then to the last eight of the China Open.

But to those who know about her past, Muchova’s win over Sabalenka might not be that much of a surprise.

Not only had she won the pair’s last two meetings, at Roland Garros and Cincinnati last year, but she has a penchant for beating top players—with her latest win over the world No. 2, Muchova is now 7-2 in her career against Top 3 players.

And in the only two losses, she lost 6-4 in the third set.

The first of her only two losses came in the final of Roland Garros last year to a No. 1-ranked Iga Swiatek, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4, where she was actually up a break at 4-3 in the third set.

Swiatek edged her again in the third round of Montreal last year, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. Swiatek broke her in the first game of the third set there and that lead held up the rest of the way.

MUCHOVA CAREER RECORD VS TOP 3 PLAYERS: 7-2
d. No. 3 Pliskova in 2019 Wimbledon 4th Rd, 4-6, 7-5, 13-11
d. No. 1 Barty in 2021 Australian Open QFs, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
d. No. 2 Osaka in 2021 Madrid 2nd Rd, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
d. No. 3 Sakkari in 2022 Roland Garros 2nd Rd, 7-6, 7-6
d. No. 2 Sabalenka in 2023 Roland Garros SFs, 7-6, 6-7, 7-5
l. to No. 1 Swiatek in 2023 Roland Garros F, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4
l. to No. 1 Swiatek in 2023 Montreal 3rd Rd, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
d. No. 2 Sabalenka in 2023 Cincinnati SFs, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2
d. No. 2 Sabalenka in 2024 Beijing QFs, 7-6, 2-6, 6-4

Muchova is now into her second WTA 1000 semifinal, having reached the final of Cincinnati last year—there, she beat Sabalenka in the semis before falling to Coco Gauff.

Standing between the Czech and her second WTA 1000 final is Zheng Qinwen, who also rallied from 4-2 down in the third set of her quarterfinal, beating Mirra Andreeva, 5-7, 6-0, 6-4.

Muchova and Zheng have played each other twice before, both times on clay, with Muchova prevailing in the first round of Madrid in 2022, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, and Zheng getting revenge in the final of Palermo this summer, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.