Sabalenka claims record third Wuhan Open title in hard-fought final
Aryna Sabalenka made history on Sunday by becoming the first player to win the Wuhan Open three times, defeating local favorite Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in an intense final. Sabalenka, the top seed, improved her perfect record in Wuhan to 17-0, having also won the tournament in 2018 and 2019.
In a rematch of the 2024 Australian Open final, Zheng pushed Sabalenka to the limit, but the Belarusian ultimately claimed her fifth career title on Chinese soil, a new Open Era record. With two Grand Slam victories and a WTA 1000 title in Cincinnati already this year, Sabalenka secured her fourth trophy of the season.
The 26-year-old’s win strengthens her bid to end 2024 as world number one ahead of Iga Swiatek, with the WTA Finals in Riyadh next month set to decide the year-end ranking.
Zheng, competing in front of her hometown fans at the Optic Valley International Tennis Centre, became the first Chinese player to reach the Wuhan final. Despite a strong comeback in the second set, Sabalenka raced to a 3-0 lead in the decider and held firm to seal victory after a 2-hour 40-minute battle.
Zheng’s run boosts her chances of qualifying for the WTA Finals, where she hopes to become the first Chinese player since Li Na to compete.
(Source: AFP)
