2018 - GUANGZHOU - CHINA September 20, 2018

Glory in Guangzhou: Wang to face Putintseva in final

The best images from the Guangzhou International Women's Open 2018. All photos copyright Guangzhou International Women's Open.

Former World No.103 Zhang Kai-Lin fell in a deciding tiebreak in the final qualifying round to Lizette Cabrera — 01 /19

Former World No.103 Zhang Kai-Lin fell in a deciding tiebreak in the final qualifying round to Lizette Cabrera

Lu Jia-Jing was one of two home players to come through qualifying, defeating Junri Namigata in the final round — 02 /19

Lu Jia-Jing was one of two home players to come through qualifying, defeating Junri Namigata in the final round

Vera Zvonareva clashed with Sabine Lisicki in a first-round battle of former Wimbledon finalists — 03 /19

Vera Zvonareva clashed with Sabine Lisicki in a first-round battle of former Wimbledon finalists

Sabine Lisicki defeated Vera Zvonareva in the first round 6-4, 6-2 - her first win over the Russian in five meetings — 04 /19

Sabine Lisicki defeated Vera Zvonareva in the first round 6-4, 6-2 - her first win over the Russian in five meetings

17-year-old Wang Xiyu, playing her first match since winning the US Open girls' title, fell in the first round to Fiona Ferro — 05 /19

17-year-old Wang Xiyu, playing her first match since winning the US Open girls' title, fell in the first round to Fiona Ferro

Rain spread No.1 seed Alizé Cornet's first-round match over two days, but could not save the Frenchwoman from tumbling to a 6-0, 6-3 defeat at the hands of Jennifer Brady — 06 /19

Rain spread No.1 seed Alizé Cornet's first-round match over two days, but could not save the Frenchwoman from tumbling to a 6-0, 6-3 defeat at the hands of Jennifer Brady

Lizette Cabrera stormed to the first set over Andrea Petkovic in the first round, but was pegged back and eventually fell 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 — 07 /19

Lizette Cabrera stormed to the first set over Andrea Petkovic in the first round, but was pegged back and eventually fell 1-6, 6-3, 6-3

20-year-old Indian No.2 Karman Thandi stretched Svetlana Kuznetsova to three sets in the first round — 08 /19

20-year-old Indian No.2 Karman Thandi stretched Svetlana Kuznetsova to three sets in the first round

The heat and humidity took its toll on Kateryna Kozlova, but the Ukrainian still came through her first round over Lu Jia-Jing 6-0, 7-6(4) — 09 /19

The heat and humidity took its toll on Kateryna Kozlova, but the Ukrainian still came through her first round over Lu Jia-Jing 6-0, 7-6(4)

No.3 seed Wang Qiang stormed through her opener over Nicole Gibbs 6-1, 6-2 — 10 /19

No.3 seed Wang Qiang stormed through her opener over Nicole Gibbs 6-1, 6-2

16-year-old wildcard Wang Xinyu fell to Deniz Khazaniuk in three sets in the first round — 11 /19

16-year-old wildcard Wang Xinyu fell to Deniz Khazaniuk in three sets in the first round

Andrea Petkovic was forced to come from a set down to beat Lizette Cabrera in the first round — 12 /19

Andrea Petkovic was forced to come from a set down to beat Lizette Cabrera in the first round

No.8 seed Zheng Saisai was a set away from making the quarterfinals - but ultimately fell to Fiona Ferro in three sets — 13 /19

No.8 seed Zheng Saisai was a set away from making the quarterfinals - but ultimately fell to Fiona Ferro in three sets

Fiona Ferro was the last player to be accepted directly into the main draw - and made the most of it, defeating Wang Xiyu and Zheng Saisai to reach her first WTA quarterfinal — 14 /19

Fiona Ferro was the last player to be accepted directly into the main draw - and made the most of it, defeating Wang Xiyu and Zheng Saisai to reach her first WTA quarterfinal

Wang Yafan played a tight, high-quality second-round match against Andrea Petkovic, but fell 6-4, 7-6(5) — 15 /19

Wang Yafan played a tight, high-quality second-round match against Andrea Petkovic, but fell 6-4, 7-6(5)

Yulia Putintseva fistpumped her way to a straight-sets dismissal of Sabine Lisicki in the second round — 16 /19

Yulia Putintseva fistpumped her way to a straight-sets dismissal of Sabine Lisicki in the second round

Svetlana Kuznetsova strikes a backhand en route to a second-round loss to Wang Qiang — 17 /19

Svetlana Kuznetsova strikes a backhand en route to a second-round loss to Wang Qiang

Wang Qiang overcame a 0-3 head-to-head record against Svetlana Kuznetsova to defeat the Russian 6-2, 6-2 — 18 /19

Wang Qiang overcame a 0-3 head-to-head record against Svetlana Kuznetsova to defeat the Russian 6-2, 6-2

Wang Qiang beat Andrea Petkovic in the semifinals to book a final date with Yulia Putintseva. — 19 /19

Wang Qiang beat Andrea Petkovic in the semifinals to book a final date with Yulia Putintseva.