Sabalenka unstoppable on Chinese courts

Aryna Sabalenka extended her remarkable winning streak at the Wuhan Open to 20 matches on Friday, cruising past eighth-seeded Elena Rybakina 6-3, 6-3 to reach the semifinals of the WTA 1000 tournament. The Belarusian star, who previously won the Wuhan title in 2018, 2019, and last year, broke Rybakina’s serve three times in a 1-hour, 25-minute encounter, celebrating her victory with waves and air kisses to the crowd.

Top-seeded Sabalenka’s consistent form this season has seen her reach the semifinals for the 11th time, highlighting her dominance on hard courts. She will next face sixth-seeded Jessica Pegula, who earlier on Friday overcame Katerina Siniakova 2-6, 6-0, 6-3 in a match that extended her streak of three-set battles to seven consecutive encounters. Pegula, who recently edged past top-10 players Ekaterina Alexandrova and Hailey Baptiste, showed resilience by saving seven match points to claim victory.

Meanwhile, third-seeded Coco Gauff also advanced comfortably to the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-0 demolition of Laura Siegemund. The American, runner-up at the China Open last week, will face either second-ranked Iga Swiatek or Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in her bid for the Wuhan title.

With both Sabalenka and Gauff in strong form, the Wuhan Open semifinals promise high-intensity clashes, featuring a mix of power, precision, and resilience as the players vie for the coveted WTA 1000 crown.