In a thrilling performance at the Wuhan Open, Jessica Pegula showcased her tenacity by overcoming a series of challenges to defeat fellow American Hailey Baptiste. The sixth seed battled through a tense match, ultimately winning with a score of 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(6). Pegula faced adversity when she was broken twice while trying to serve out the match in the final set. However, she regained her composure in the tiebreak, sealing her victory on the seventh match point.
Following her recent semifinal exit at the China Open, Pegula will advance to face the ninth seed, Ekaterina Alexandrova, who earned her spot in the next round after a decisive 7-6(5), 6-2 win over American Ann Li.
Coco Gauff, ranked third, had a more straightforward day on the court, as she dominated Moyuka Uchijima with a commanding 6-1, 6-0 triumph in just 51 minutes. This performance marks a strong comeback for Gauff after her semifinal defeat to Amanda Anisimova in the previous tournament.
In a surprising turn of events, eleventh-seeded Naomi Osaka suffered an upset against unseeded Linda Noskova. The Czech player, who had recently reached the finals of the China Open, put on an impressive display to secure a 7-6(2), 6-3 victory. With this win, Noskova, now ranked 17th in the world, will face either Jaqueline Cristian or Elena Rybakina in the next round.
Meanwhile, Liudmila Samsonova, the 16th seed, pulled off a comeback against 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, rallying back to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. Samsonova’s next challenge will be against Aryna Sabalenka, the reigning US Open champion, who fought hard to defeat Rebecca Sramkova with a final score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Sabalenka, the top-ranked player in the tournament, continued her remarkable streak in Wuhan, boasting an impressive 18-0 record at the event, with titles in 2018, 2019, and 2024. After a relaxing break in Greece following her Flushing Meadows victory, she made her return to the circuit, having opted out of last week’s China Open.
“I’m really glad that in the second set I found my game,” Sabalenka expressed after her match. “I’ve won a lot of tournaments in China; it feels like home in this stadium, and I really hope I can go all the way.”
In other developments, Karolina Muchova was forced to withdraw from her match against Magdalena Frech due to the oppressive heat and humidity, trailing 7-6(1), 4-1 at the time.
As the tournament progresses, players will continue to battle intense conditions and each other in pursuit of the Wuhan Open title, adding excitement to an already unpredictable WTA season.
