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Coco Gauff helped carry Naomi Osaka’s bags off the court after the former world No. 1 pulled out of the highly anticipated China Open quarter-finals with a back injury.

Gauff had just leveled the game at one set when Osaka shook her opponent’s hand after receiving medical treatment early in the bout.

“It was a good match up to that point,” said Gauff. “I wish Naomi a speedy recovery. Nobody wants to win a match like that, especially not by just one set.”

Osaka met Gauff for the first time since 2022 and seemed to have the upper hand over her younger opponent in the clash between the former US Open champions.

Osaka, playing her first tournament under Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams’ former coach, overcame Gauff to lead 6-3, 4-3.

But Gauff won the next three games and tied the game before Osaka retired. “Overall I did my best,” admitted Gauff. “It wasn’t my best tennis.”

The fourth-seeded Gauff will next face Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva, who continued her brilliant run by beating tenth-seeded Anna Kalinskaya 7-5 6-0.

Chinese wildcard player Zhang Shuai’s remarkable week continued with the veteran, who had lost 24 singles matches in a row at the start of the tournament and made it four wins in a row with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Magdalena Frech.

In the last eight she will face 15th seed Paula Badosa, who defeated US Open finalist Jessica Pegula 6-4, 6-0.

Includes reporting from PA