WUHAN, October 8, 2025 (Press Release)
Three-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka‘s title defense got off to a rocky start at the Dongfeng · Voyah Wuhan Open on Wednesday, but the World No. 1 kept her cool to defeat Rebecca Sramkova 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 and advance to the third round.
Sabalenka has now notched up a remarkable 18-0 win-loss record in Wuhan matches.
Back at it @SabalenkaA returns to the Round of 16 in Wuhan with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory against Sramkova.#WuhanOpen pic.twitter.com/0C7xlZLXN8
— wta (@WTA) October 8, 2025
“Going into this match, I knew it was going to be not the easy one. She’s moving well, making the opponent work for every point,” said Sabalenka, who had not played since winning the US Open title last month.
“I had a little break. I did a great preparation, but I felt like I need to get back in rhythm, and so I knew that it’s going to be not the easiest one. And after the first set, I was more frustrated with myself, but it was kind of like good frustration because it gave me that emotional push to to keep trying and to keep fighting and to serve better and to return better. I think it was a good match for the first match.”
Earlier in the day, No. 6 seed Jessica Pegula needed over three hours to hold off her compatriot Hailey Baptiste 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(6). Pegula served for the win at 5-3 in the third saw Baptiste wipe away five match points to take the deciding set to a tiebreak. Pegula finally converted on her seventh match point to seal the win.
“Coming from playing so much tennis in Beijing with a different ball on a different surface and different conditions, is always kind of tricky,” Pegula said. “So I knew coming into today it was going to be tough, because she can play really loose. She’s flashy. She makes you very uncomfortable, a little bit unorthodox from a lot of girls, and just has a very high skill set in a lot of areas, and a very good serve. So I knew that was going to be really tough. I’m happy with the way I was able to handle it.”
No. 3 seed Coco Gauff had a much easier day at the office, dropping just one game to Moyuka Uchijima in less than an hour. She will face off Chinese wild card Zhang Shuai, who continued her fine form by defeating Sorana Cirstea 6-4 3-6 6-4.
China Open finalist Linda Noskova has taken her momentum from Beijing straight into the Wuhan Open, where she put on a serving masterclass to oust 11th seed Naomi Osaka 7-6(3), 6-3.
Elsewhere, Belinda Bencic advanced to the third round after Elise Mertens was forced to withdraw from singles and doubles due to a lower back injury. Bencic will now face World No. 2 Iga Swiatek in Thursday’s night session.
Wednesday’s evening session saw two-time Grand Slam runner-up and Wuhan seventh seed Jasmine Paolini overcome an inspired Yue Yuan to earn her place in the Last 16, courtesy of a 3-6 6-4 6-3 win. Paolini’s win helped her chances of qualifying for the year-end WTA Finals in Ryadh and set up a Last 16 meeting on Thursday with tenth seed Clara Tauson.
Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, seeded eight, was too strong for Jaqueline Cristian in an efficient 6-4 6-3 win to round off a busy day at the Optics Valley International Tennis Center.
