Zhang Shuai became the only seeded player to advance to the semifinals of the Guangzhou Open as Alize Cornet was eliminated 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) by Yanina Wickmayer on Thursday.
Zhang, also the only remaining Chinese player in the running, saw off Kateryna Kozlova 6-1, 6-1 in a comfortable victory to set up a last-four encounter with Evgeniya Rodina, who overcame Australia's Lizette Cabrera 6-1, 7-6 (7-4).
Frenchwoman Cornet, the sixth seed, was set back early by Belgium's Wickmayer and despite taking the second set to a tiebreak could not prevent a 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) defeat.
Wickmayer advances to face Aleksandra Krunic, the Serb enjoying a straightforward quarterfinal win against Rebecca Peterson of Sweden, 6-1, 6-1.