WUHAN, China – Iga Swiatek demonstrated her championship caliber once again, securing a decisive 6-1, 6-1 victory over Marie Bouzkova in the third round of the WTA 1,000-level Wuhan Open on Tuesday. The reigning Wimbledon champion displayed resilience this week after an unexpected fourth-round elimination at the China Open last week.
This latest triumph marks Swiatek’s 60th win of the calendar year, continuing an impressive streak where she has reached this milestone for four consecutive years. “Every tournament I attend, I strive to showcase my best performance,” Swiatek stated. “I don’t fixate on specific goals like reaching the semifinals; I focus on progressing one step at a time.”
As the tournament’s No. 2 seed, Swiatek is set to clash against either Belinda Bencic or Elise Mertens in her next match.
In a disappointing turn of events, Emma Raducanu was forced to withdraw from her first-round match due to illness. The British player experienced health issues while competing against American Ann Li, who was leading 6-1, 4-1 at the time of Raducanu’s retirement. Li will go on to face ninth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the second round.
Naomi Osaka had a tougher battle on center court, overcoming Leylah Fernandez 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 to advance further in the tournament. This marked Osaka’s return to Wuhan for the first time since 2017, and she faced a formidable opponent in Fernandez, the player who unexpectedly defeated her at the 2021 US Open. Despite dropping the first set, Osaka adjusted her strategy, applying consistent pressure on Fernandez’s service games in the second set.
In additional matches, Sofia Kenin edged out Anastasia Zakharova 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 and will meet No. 16 seed Liudmila Samsonova, who enjoyed a straightforward 6-1, 7-5 win against Emiliana Arango.
The tournament’s top seed, Aryna Sabalenka, along with No. 3 Coco Gauff, are set to make their tournament debuts on Wednesday. However, fourth-seeded Amanda Anisimova, a finalist at both the U.S. Open and Wimbledon this year, had to withdraw from the Wuhan Open due to a left calf muscle injury following her victory at the China Open.
The competition in Wuhan continues to heat up as top players vie for supremacy in this prestigious event.
