Defending champion Iga Swiatek cruised past Zheng Qinwen to set up an Indian Wells semi-final against teenager Mirra Andreeva.
Zheng beat Swiatek on the way to winning gold at last year’s Paris Olympics – but was no match for the Pole in their first meeting since.
The world number two led by a set and a double break before bad weather led to play being suspended.
It only delayed the inevitable however, with China’s Zheng winning two games after the delay Swiatek closed out a 6-3 6-3 victory.
“It was a weird match with all the breaks and everything, but I wanted to be composed and really focused and I’m glad that I did that,” Swiatek said.
Swiatek, 23, could become the only woman since Martina Navratilova in 1990 and 1991 to win back-to-back Indian Wells titles.
The five-time major winner won the title in 2022, lost in the semi-finals in 2023 before triumphing again last year.
She will next face 17-year-old Andreeva, who stunned Swiatek in the quarter-finals in Dubai last month.
Andreeva, who went on to win the Dubai title, beat Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina 7-5 6-3 to reach the last four and extend her winning streak to 10 matches.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka will face Madison Keys in a rematch of January’s Australian Open final in the other semi-final in California.
