Fręch, who is ranked a career-high world No. 27 by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), defeated Navarro, world No. 8 and this year’s US Open semifinalist, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in their second-round match in Wuhan on Wednesday, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
The 26-year-old Pole will next face ninth-seeded Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia for a place in the quarterfinals.
Earlier in the day, Poland's Magda Linette reached the last 16 of the Wuhan Open with a win over Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko.
Magdalena Fręch and Magda Linette. Photos: PAP/EPA/ANDRES MARTINEZ CASARES/PAP/EPA/JESSICA LEE
Fręch last month won the Guadalajara Open hard-court tournament in Mexico to claim her first career singles title.
In July, she reached the final of the Prague Open clay-court tournament in the Czech Republic, where she was overpowered by countrywoman Magda Linette.
The championship match in Prague marked Fręch's first WTA singles final.
Meanwhile, Poland’s world No. 1 Iga Świątek has withdrawn from the Wuhan Open and the entire autumn Asian season due to fatigue and personal reasons, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
The 2024 Wuhan Open runs until October 13.
(gs)
Source: IAR, PAP