Ningbo Open 2024: Karolina Muchova sets up intriguing Anna Kalinskaya showdown as incredible form continues

Karolina Muchova no doubt about it is one of the main comeback stories of the season on the WTA Tour and continues to show her brilliance this time at the Ningbo Open. An intriguing Quarter-Final now awaits though.

Muchova swatted aside Jaqueline Cristian 6-2, 6-1 to reach her fifth Quarter-Final out of seven WTA Tournaments she has played after coming back after 10 months off injured. Truly incredible.

A player that on her day has proven that she is one of the best on the tour but has often been dogged by injury issues. The same can be said for her next opponent who herself has had the season of her life in Anna Kalinskaya.

Albeit the news stories perhaps have been dominated this season by her relationship with Jannik Sinner, she has endured her best year yet and sits on the cusp of the top 10. It has not been an easy road at times with Kalinskaya having form slumps, illness and injury. But she is playing well this week and saw off Yue Yuan 6-3, 6-3.

With Muchova not yet back in the higher echelons of the rankings, she has harder draws earlier and the same can be said for her opponents. Kalinskaya perhaps wouldn't expect to face a player of Muchova's calibre so early but she sits just outside of the top seeds. On Friday they will meet for the third time. Albeit not since 2018 on ITF and 2020 at the US Open.

Other Quarter-Finals include Mirra Andreeva who faces Barbora Krejcikova. The Russian eased past Tamara Korpatsch yesterday. The winner faces Muchova or Kalinskaya. While the top half of the draw features Beatriz Haddad Maia v Paula Badosa and Daria Kasatkina v Yulia Putintseva. So in reality after lots of withdrawals, the top names have risen to the fore.