At the Wuhan Open, Aryna Sabalenka has continued her remarkable momentum, extending her winning streak to 19 matches after a convincing victory over Liudmila Samsonova. The top seed triumphed with a score of 6-3, 6-2, showcasing her dominance as she aims to defend her title in this prestigious WTA 1000 tournament.
This impressive stretch for Sabalenka includes previous titles at the Wuhan Open in 2018, 2019, and 2024. As the tournament progresses, she is set to face eighth seed Elena Rybakina, who defeated Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-4 in her round of 16 match. Rybakina is also looking to secure her spot at the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia.
Iga Swiatek, ranked second in the world, also advanced through the quarterfinals, overcoming Olympic champion Belinda Bencic in a tightly-contested match that ended 7-6(2), 6-4. Swiatek has established a strong record against Bencic, improving to 5-1 in their encounters. Her next opponent will be Jasmine Paolini, who moved forward after Clara Tauson retired during their match, which saw Paolini leading 3-6, 6-1, 3-1.
In a notable performance, Jessica Pegula battled back from an early setback in her match against Ekaterina Alexandrova. The sixth-seeded American edged Alexandrova 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 to secure her spot in the last eight. This match was Pegula’s sixth consecutive contest that required three sets, yet she managed to come out on top for the fifth time. Pegula had previously survived a nail-biting second-round match against fellow American Hailey Baptiste, which saw her fight through seven match points to emerge victorious.
Coco Gauff, facing Zhang Shuai, dominated her encounter with a score of 6-3, 6-2, rebounding from a semifinal loss to Amanda Anisimova in the previous week’s China Open. Gauff’s strong performance reinforces her position as a formidable contender in the tournament.
As the stakes rise in Wuhan, the competition promises to heat up further with each round, as top players vie for both titles and valuable ranking points ahead of the finale of the WTA season.
