Paolini has a much better record against Gauff, having triumphed over the American in their past three meetings.
Gauff cruised into a second straight semifinal with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Laura Siegemund. She lost to eventual champion Amanda Anisimova in the final four at the China Open last week.
The top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka will face Jessica Pegula in the other semifinal.
👉 The Match in 15 Minutes: Sabalenka sinks Rybakina in straight sets
Sabalenka extended her winning streak at Wuhan to 20 matches with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over eighth-seeded Elena Rybakina.
The U.S. Open champion won the WTA 1000-level tournament in 2018, ’19 and again last year on her return to the Chinese city.
Sabalenka broke Rybakina’s serve three times in the 1-hour, 25-minute match to advance into the semifinals for the 11th time this season, and then waved and blew kisses to the crowd.
