Sabalenka Triumphs Over Local Favorite Zheng to Secure Her Third Wuhan Open Title
Aryna Sabalenka made history on Sunday by becoming the first player to secure three titles at the Wuhan Open, overcoming local favorite Zheng Qinwen (22) with a score of 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in the final match.
As the top seed, Sabalenka, who previously won the tournament in 2018 and 2019, maintained her flawless record in Wuhan, advancing to an impressive 17-0.
Zheng, who had faced Sabalenka in the 2024 Australian Open final, proved to be a formidable opponent, but Sabalenka ultimately claimed her fifth title in the Open era on Chinese soil.
With two Grand Slam victories and a WTA 1000 title in Cincinnati already achieved in 2024, Sabalenka secured her fourth trophy of the season from seven finals contested.
At 26 years old, she bolstered her prospects of finishing the year as the world number one, closely trailing Iga Swiatek, with the competition expected to intensify at the WTA Finals in Riyadh next month.
"The rankings are very close right now, which is encouraging to see," remarked Sabalenka, who is less than 100 points behind Swiatek in the standings. "We will find out after the Finals if I have performed well enough this season to claim the top spot."
In their previous three encounters, Zheng had not managed to win a set against Sabalenka, all of which took place at Grand Slam events over the last 13 months. However, the final on Sunday presented a different scenario, as Zheng, the reigning Olympic gold medalist, played in front of her home crowd in her hometown.
Sabalenka gained a 4-2 lead after capitalizing on a double fault from Zheng in front of a packed audience of 13,000 spectators. The Belarusian concluded the first set, lasting 38 minutes, with her second ace, having lost only five points on her serve.
Although Sabalenka appeared to be on track for another straightforward victory after breaking serve in the third game of the second set, Zheng responded swiftly. The world number seven achieved her first break of serve against Sabalenka in their four encounters, leveling the set.
The match evolved into a back-and-forth battle, with Zheng taking a 5-3 lead before Sabalenka fought back to level the score.
]Zheng faced a pivotal moment in the 12th game when she took advantage of an error from Sabalenka, allowing her to break serve and secure a set against her opponent for the first time, thus pushing the match to a decisive final set.
Sabalenka quickly established a commanding 3-0 lead with a double break in the final set.
Although Zheng nearly overcame the deficit, she was unable to capitalize on her opportunities, and Sabalenka ultimately secured the victory after a match lasting 2 hours and 40 minutes.
"I felt that I lost a bit of focus, which allowed her to come back into the match," Sabalenka remarked.
"I would say I was somewhat playing against myself. However, I am very pleased that I managed to regroup in the third set and achieve this win."
Zheng can take several positives from her experience in Wuhan, where she made history as the first Chinese finalist in the tournament's history.
She has significantly improved her position in the Race to the WTA Finals, moving from ninth to seventh place, thereby enhancing her prospects of becoming the first Chinese player to qualify for the season-ending championships since Li Na in 2013.
Her qualification may hinge on the upcoming WTA 500 tournament in Ningbo next week, but Zheng indicated that she has not yet made a decision regarding her participation, having been affected by a fever over the past fortnight.
"I am feeling somewhat weak in terms of my health. I will need to exercise caution," Zheng stated.
"While competing in Ningbo is important, my health must also take precedence. I need to strike a balance between the two."
SportsLigue