Sabalenka powers through to 20th straight Wuhan win
In Wuhan’s humid evening air, Aryna Sabalenka crushes Elena Rybakina to extend her reign, while Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula advance, building tension toward loaded semifinals.
Under the glowing lights of Optics Valley International Tennis Centre, Aryna Sabalenka dismantled Elena Rybakina 6-3, 6-3, pushing her unbeaten streak at this WTA 1000 event to 20 matches and securing a semifinal spot. The world No. 1, who lifted the Wuhan Open trophy in 2018, 2019, and last year, broke serve three times over 85 minutes, her explosive groundstrokes overwhelming the eighth seed on these medium-fast hard courts. As the crowd roared, she lingered at the net, waving and blowing kisses, a moment of connection amid the grind of top-ranked pressure.
Sabalenka exploits Rybakina‘s flat trajectories
Sabalenka targeted Rybakina’s second serve early, stepping inside the baseline to redirect returns crosscourt with depth, forcing the Kazakh to scramble from defensive positions. Her one–two combinations—heavy serves followed by inside-out forehands—disrupted any baseline rhythm, converting breaks at key junctures while holding her own delivery against probing returns. This tactical edge, honed from past Wuhan triumphs, turned potential rallies into quick points, her confidence surging as down-the-line winners sealed the second set decisively.
The victory marks her 11th semifinal of the season, a testament to mental resilience since her US Open title, where sustaining dominance means navigating isolation under constant scrutiny. Rybakina’s penetrating inside-in attempts tested her early, but Sabalenka’s varied depths—mixing topspin with occasional underspin—prevented clean counters, bending the match’s tempo toward relief as chants echoed through the humid stands.
Gauff cruises past Siegemund for momentum
Across the draw, third-seeded Coco Gauff advanced with a commanding 6-3, 6-0 win over Laura Siegemund, her second straight semifinal signaling a rebound from last week’s China Open semifinal loss to eventual champion Amanda Anisimova. Gauff’s explosive movement on the grippy surface let her redirect the German’s slices with angled returns, turning defense into offensive pressure and overwhelming with unreturned serves in the lopsided second set. The American’s composure under the evening lights highlighted her growth, where early-season setbacks have evolved into this late-year consistency.
Next, she faces either No. 2-ranked Iga Swiatek or Jasmine Paolini, a clash that will probe her serve-return adjustments against spin-heavy or aggressive baseline play. Gauff’s path embodies the tour’s demands on young talents, balancing breakout moments with extended schedules, her Wuhan surge fueled by quick mental resets after Beijing’s disappointment. Crowd energy built as she exited, the air thick with anticipation for her final-four push.
Pegula grinds out semifinal berth
Awaiting Sabalenka is sixth-seeded Jessica Pegula, who battled through her seventh consecutive three-setter, dropping the first to Katerina Siniakova before storming back 2-6, 6-0, 6-3 with relentless crosscourt drives that exhausted the Czech’s net approaches. Pegula’s recent run includes triumphs over No. 9 Ekaterina Alexandrova and fellow American Hailey Baptiste—the latter a tense clinch needing seven match points—showcasing endurance on courts that reward baseline depth over raw speed. Her flat groundstrokes adapted to Wuhan’s pace despite fatigue, improved net play reeling in sets as the match wore on.
This semifinal pits Sabalenka’s firepower against Pegula’s counterpunching, where extended rallies could hinge on mental fortitude and surface-true bounces amplifying forehand exchanges. Pegula’s post-match wave to fans echoed Sabalenka’s ritual, a shared anchor in the tour’s calendar, as both draw emotional lift from supporter bonds. With rankings implications looming—a win bolstering the top spot or vaulting into the elite five—the outcome rests on who first cracks under the lights, promising a tactical duel of power and perseverance.