Top seed Aryna Sabalenka shook off a second-set blip to win three back-to-back Wuhan Open titles after beating Chinese fifth seed and home favourite Zheng Qinwen 6-3 5-7 6-3 in the final on Sunday (Oct 13). Sabalenka, who knocked out former U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff in the semi-finals on Saturday, banged down seven aces and 32 winners and did not face a single break point in the opening set. The 26-year-old Belarusian now has the most aces in WTA-1000 this season, surpassing world number five Elena Rybakina. Having won all three of their past meetings in straight sets, including the Australian Open final, world number two Sabalenka lost some control in the second set against the Paris Olympics gold medallist.
Aryna Sabalenka became the first player to win the Wuhan Open three times with a hard-fought win over Zheng Qinwen in Sunday's (Oct 13) final. The 26-year-old Belarusian was taken to three sets by China's Zheng in a thrilling rematch of this year's Australian Open final, in which she also claimed victory. Sabalenka clinched her fourth women's singles title of the year 6-3 5-7 6-3 and remains undefeated in Wuhan.
Top seed Sabalenka took the opening set in just 38 minutes, but Zheng mounted her comeback in a gripping second to force a decider. There, Zheng found herself 3-0 down, and while she pulled two games back, lost her serve again as Sabalenka broke for a 5-2 lead.
The world number two failed to serve out the match as Zheng broke back to love, but finally wrapped up her 17th career title on her third championship point.
Reigning Olympic gold medallist Zheng, who became the first Chinese player to reach a WTA 1000 final, has now lost all four of her meetings against the three-time Grand Slam champion.
"Next time I will be better," she said.
Sabalenka is now unbeaten in 17 consecutive matches in Wuhan, breaking Petra Kvitova's record for the most at the tournament.
The win adds to a successful year in which she won both the Australian Open and U.S. Open and appeared in seven singles finals.
