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BEIJING: US Open runner-up Amanda Anisimova crushed defending champion Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-2 in 58 minutes on Saturday to reach the China Open final and will face Linda Noskova.

The 26th-seeded Noskova of the Czech Republic saved three match points in her semifinal to stun fifth seed Jessica Pegula in three sets.

“I felt really good throughout the whole match,” third-seeded American Anisimova, beaten in the final in New York by Aryna Sabalenka a month ago, said.

“All my shots were working today, which is my favorite way to play.

“Coco’s a really tough player, so I knew I was gonna really have to step it up.”

Anisimova said she was surprised to be back in another final so soon, having taken time off after the US Open and removing a tooth the day of her flight.

“I didn’t really feel like I was match fit ahead of the tournament,” said the 24-year-old, who is one win away from a fourth career title.

“I was like, is it a mistake that I’m flying there (Beijing) and everything’s just off to a bad start?

“But I think I learned ... when I’m not feeling my best physically or I’m facing a challenge, I actually play better because I don’t have as much pressure.”

Anisimova stormed into a 5-0 first-set lead in 15 minutes as an uncharacteristically shaky Gauff hit a slew of shots long and into the net.

The 21-year-old reigning French Open winner double-faulted twice to give Anisimova two set points before finally getting herself on the scoreboard. But it was far too little, far too late.

Gauff’s nightmare continued in the second set as Anisimova again raced into a 5-0 lead over her compatriot.

Gauff managed to close that deficit by two games but a commanding Anisimova closed out in less than an hour.

It was Anisimova’s quickest win yet in the Chinese capital, where she pulled off two three-set comebacks.

“She’s definitely one of the best,” Gauff said.

“Today I would have liked to perform better and I need to step up my game.”

Gauff’s only previous loss on Beijing’s center Diamond Court had been to Poland’s world No. 2 Iga Swiatek in 2023, also in the semifinals.

“It’s been a great year for me,” Anisimova, who qualified for the WTA Finals this week in Beijing, added.

Noskova surprised the more fancied American Pegula 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (8/6) to pull through in 2h 28min and will contest the biggest match of her career on Sunday.

“(Pegula) played incredible,” Noskova, 20, said.

“It was just two points away from a win or a lose.

“I’m just too happy that I would win.”

The two played smart over intense rallies, moving each other around the court.

The deciding set was a nail-biter, with the more experienced Pegula double-faulting on match point, before they went to a tiebreak.

“It was quite a tough match mentally and physically and everything else, so I’m just gonna cherish this win,” Noskova said.

She is after the second title of her career and first at the 1000 level.

SINGAPORE: George Russell put Mercedes on pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix on Saturday with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen taking the second spot on the front row and complaining of being obstructed as he tried to chase down the Englishman.

Russell crashed in practice on Friday but drove brilliantly around the Marina Bay track in the final round of qualifying to put in two laps worthy of pole, his best timed at one minute 29.158 seconds.

“Amazing to be on pole position,” said Russell. “Yesterday was a very challenging day for many different reasons, but it’s good to come back and get a good result today. Of course, there’s a long, sweaty race tomorrow.”

Dutchman Verstappen, who won the last two rounds of the championship from pole, was 0.182 seconds back but disgruntled after being blocked by the McLaren of Lando Norris and making a mistake on his final flying lap.

“That’s what happens when there’s a car in front of you, just cruising two seconds in front,” said the four-times world champion.

“I think it’s quite clear that that’s not nice when it happens. It could have been avoided.”

Championship leader Oscar Piastri, who leads Verstappen by 69 points in the drivers’ standings, will start on the second row after clocking the third fastest time.

“Obviously, I would have wanted more, but I don’t think we had four tenths in it to go and get pole,” said the Australian.

“It was a pretty clean session so that’s all I can ask for.”

Kimi Antonelli will start in the other Mercedes on the second row of the grid alongside Piastri, whose teammate Norris was fifth fastest and will line up in row three with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.

McLaren need 13 points from their two drivers in Sunday’s race to clinch a second consecutive constructors’ championship title.