Sabalenka Defeats Local Favorite Zheng to Claim Third Wuhan Open Title

Aryna Sabalenka triumphs over China’s Zheng to secure her third Wuhan Open title, further solidifying her position as one of the top players in women’s tennis.

On Sunday, Aryna Sabalenka made history as the first player to secure three victories at the Wuhan Open by overcoming local favorite Zheng Qinwen with scores of 6-3, 5-7, and 6-3 in the final match.

The top seed, who previously claimed victory at the event in 2018 and 2019, maintained her flawless record in Wuhan by advancing to an impeccable 17-0.

In a rematch of the 2024 Australian Open final, Sabalenka faced tough competition from a determined Zheng before securing her historic fifth title in China during the Open Era.

Having already secured two Grand Slam titles and a WTA 1000 victory in Cincinnati earlier in 2024, Sabalenka claimed her fourth trophy of the season after reaching seven finals.

The 26-year-old improved her prospects of finishing the year as world number one, surpassing Iga Swiatek in a competition expected to be fiercely contested until the final moments at the WTA Finals in Riyadh next month.

Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka returns a shot to China’s Zheng Qinwen during their women’s singles final match at the Wuhan Open tennis tournament in Wuhan, Hubei province, China on October 13, 2024. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP)

In their previous three encounters over the past 13 months, all of which took place on the Grand Slam stage, Zheng had never managed to win a set against Sabalenka.

However, Sunday’s final unfolded differently as Zheng, the current Olympic gold medalist, competed in front of her hometown fans in the city where she was raised.

Before a packed house of 13,000 at the Optic Valley International Tennis Centre, Sabalenka seized a break for a 4-2 lead following Zheng’s double fault.

The player from Belarus concluded the first set, which lasted 38 minutes, by delivering her second ace of the match and losing just five points on serve in the process.

Sabalenka appeared to be heading for another straightforward victory after breaking serve in the third game of the second set, but Zheng had different plans.

Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus holds the trophy following her victory in the women’s singles final against Zheng Qinwen of China at the Wuhan Open tennis tournament, held in Wuhan, Hubei province, on October 13, 2024. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP)

Ranked seventh in the world, she quickly responded and achieved her first break of serve against Sabalenka across their four encounters, leveling the set.

The contest turned into a back-and-forth battle, with Zheng pulling ahead 5-3 before Sabalenka caught up.

Zheng’s pivotal moment arrived in the 12th game when she took advantage of an error by Sabalenka to break her serve, winning a set against her for the first time and pushing the final into a deciding round.

Sabalenka swiftly secured a commanding 3-0 advantage in the final set by breaking her opponent’s serve twice.

Zheng came close to overcoming her deficit, but couldn’t capitalize on her opportunities as Sabalenka secured the victory after a 2-hour and 40-minute contest.

Zheng can still find positives in her week at Wuhan, where she became the first Chinese player to reach the tournament final.

She has significantly advanced in the Race to the WTA Finals, moving from ninth to seventh place. This boost increases her chances of becoming the first Chinese player since Li Na in 2013 to qualify for these prestigious season-ending championships.