Elina Svitolina beat Ann Li 6–2, 6–3 in Beijing’s fourth round on October 7, 2026, reaching her 29th WTA 1000 quarterfinal. The sixth seed defeated the 21st seed in 1 hour and 31 minutes and improved to two wins from two meetings with Li.
Svitolina had won six consecutive sets since losing the opener of her first match to Katerina Siniakova. With a first-round bye, she reached the quarterfinals after three matches.
Her next opponent, Zheng Qinwen, beat Alina Charaeva 6–1, 2–6, 6–4 the same day. Zheng had played four matches without a bye, each reaching a third set. Svitolina’s one fewer match and recent straight-sets finishes gave the two players contrasting routes through the draw.
The quarterfinal was set to be their first career meeting. Svitolina was seeking a 17th WTA 1000 semifinal, while Zheng was aiming for her fourth at that level.
