Aryna Sabalenka Extends Wuhan Winning Streak, Coco Gauff’s Impressive Victory in 2024 Wuhan Open Opener
Aryna Sabalenka, the second-ranked tennis player in the world, is having an amazing tournament.
She defeated Katerina Siniakova 6-4, 6-4 in the second round to keep her perfect record intact. After breaking Siniakova’s service twice in each set, two-time defending champion Sabalenka finished the match in one hour and thirty-four minutes. After winning the titles in 2018 and 2019, Sabalenka’s perfect record in Wuhan was increased to 13-0 with this victory.
In other action, Jannik Sinner defeated Ben Shelton in the Shanghai Masters last year to exact revenge, and Carlos Alcaraz defeated French veteran Gael Monfils in a test to extend his winning streak to 12 matches.
In one hour and thirty-four minutes of play, the two-time defending champion Sabalenka, who was given a bye with the other eight top seeds in the first round, defeated her Czech opponent twice in a row and gave up one of her own service games to secure her most recent victory.
The 26-year-old Belarussian will take on Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan in the third round. Putintseva defeated Donna Vekic, the silver medallist from the Paris Olympics, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
After winning the title on her debut in 2018 and defending it in 2019, the US Open champion is currently 13-0 in Wuhan. The tournament was halted for five years owing to COVID-19 travel restrictions and a WTA boycott of China.
“Wuhan was really missed,” Sabalenka remarked. “I simply remember being the winner of this title two times. Wuhan alone reminds me of so many wonderful times and positive energy.”
Sabalenka just needs to get to the Wuhan quarterfinals to overtake Iga Swiatek atop the rankings after the latter withdrew from the women’s Asian swing due to personal reasons and exhaustion. Tomasz Wiktorowski, Swiatek’s coach, and him recently parted ways.
On Wednesday, there were six American players competing in the second round.
In 75 minutes, China Open champion Coco Gauff defeated Viktoriya Tomova of Bulgaria 6-1, 6-2, while Hailey Baptiste defeated 10th-ranked Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 7-5, earning her first victory over a woman rated in the top ten.
In just over two hours, No. 11-ranked Daria Kasatkina overcame a mid-match slip to upset American Bernarda Pera 6-4, 1-6, 6-1, while eighth-ranked Emma Navarro was defeated 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 by Magdalena Frech.
Withdrawing from her match against Marta Kostyuk, rated seventeenth, was Amanda Anisimova.
Later on Wednesday, the Andreeva sisters, Erika and Mirra, will play against each other in a tour-level competition for the first time when third-ranked Jessica Pegula takes on Anastasia Potapova.
Jannik Sinner upset the 22-year-old American on Wednesday by taking 6-4, 7-6 (1) to exact revenge for his loss to Ben Shelton in the Shanghai Masters’ fourth round last year.
The match featured amazing shot-making and serving supremacy, just like the year before, but this time the 23-year-old Italian won to raise his record against Shelton to 4-1.
Sinner remarked, “I think it was a very tough match also today.” “He had opportunities in the first and the second. He wins in two sets if I don’t play well during these points because he was serving exceptionally effectively.
“Happy how I handled this situation, it’s obviously a position where I have been last year, and where I am right now, it’s different, so I’m happy to be in the position where I am.”
In the first set, the only thing separating the pair was Sinner’s break in the ninth game. After that, each player dominated the second set on their own serve, and in the tiebreak, the Italian came out on top and won the final seven points of the match.
Sinner has advanced to his sixth quarterfinal of the ATP Masters 1000 this year, where he will take on Daniil Medvedev, ranked fifth, who defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas, a longtime foe, earlier this year 7-6 (3), 6-3.
The meeting between the former US Open champion from Russia and the 12th-ranked Greek was their 14th, but their first in almost a year. Medvedex increased his lead in the head-to-head series to 10-4 with his victory on Wednesday.
After defeating French veteran Gael Monfils 6-4, 7-5, second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, who won the China Open in a thrilling match against Sinner last week, made it 12 straight wins. Alcaraz now advances to the quarterfinals.
In order to outplay the 38-year-old Monfils, Alcaraz had to use all of his shooting prowess. The 21-year-old Spaniard won 22 games, broke in each set, and sealed the victory in 87 minutes.
“The main thing I tried in this match was to stay calm, to control my emotions and wait for my chances,” Alcaraz stated.
In the quarterfinals, the victor of the French Open and Wimbledon will take against Tommy Paul or Tomas Machac.
Later on Wednesday, Novak Djokovic takes against Roman Safiullin, ranked 61st, in an attempt to secure his 100th career title.
Additionally, Taylor Fritz, ranked seventh, faces Holger Rune of Denmark, while Alexander Zverev, ranked third, plays David Goffin of Belgium.
