Top seed Aryna Sabalenka had to come back from a set down to reach the quarter-finals at the Wuhan Open, but world number three Jessica Pegula suffered a surprise defeat.

Belarusian Sabalenka, 26, lost a one-sided first set to Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva but recovered to win 1-6 6-4 6-0, winning each of the final nine games.

However, American second seed Pegula fell to a straight-set loss to China’s Wang Xinyu.

The 51st-ranked Wang is through to her first WTA 1000 quarter-final, holding her nerve to take her second match point after being broken when serving for a place in the last eight at 5-4.

Meanwhile, Italian third seed Jasmine Paolini and American fourth seed Coco Gauff both safely progressed.

Paolini won 6-3 6-2 against Erika Andreeva – who defeated sister Mirra on Wednesday – while Gauff, winner of last week’s China Open, also sealed a straight-set win, beating Marta Kostyuk 6-4 6-1.

Wimbledon and French Open runner-up Paolini will meet Chinese fifth seed Zheng Qinwen, after she beat battled back to win 5-7 6-3 6-0 against Canada’s Leylah Fernandez.