Aryna Sabalenka Battles Past Sramkova in Wuhan Return After US Open Triumph

Posted : 08 October 2025

World number one Aryna Sabalenka marked her return to competition with a gritty comeback victory at the Wuhan Open, defeating Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. The match was Sabalenka’s first since successfully defending her US Open title last month, and although she started slowly, the Belarusian rediscovered her form to power through to the third round.

Having been given a bye into the second round, Sabalenka looked rusty early on, struggling with her timing and committing several unforced errors. Sramkova, ranked 68th in the world, took full advantage, using her heavy groundstrokes and powerful serve to claim the opening set 6-4.

Sabalenka gradually settled into her rhythm in the second set, finding consistency on serve and dictating rallies from the baseline. Once she broke early, she began to dominate proceedings, fending off multiple break points to level the match.

In the decider, the reigning US Open champion displayed her trademark aggression, breaking twice and saving four break points before sealing victory with a final break of serve.

The win continues Sabalenka’s strong history in Wuhan, where she is a three-time defending champion. She first lifted the trophy in 2018 and 2019, then triumphed again in 2024 after the event’s three-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

Sabalenka will next face Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova, who overcame Sofia Kenin 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to advance.

Elsewhere in the tournament, Coco Gauff cruised into the third round with a dominant 51-minute win over Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima, losing just five points on serve. Fellow American Jessica Pegula endured a tougher battle, surviving a marathon 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (8-6) win over Hailey Baptiste after nearly three hours on court. Pegula will next face Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova, while Gauff takes on local favorite Shuai Zhang.

In other results, Japan’s Naomi Osaka fell to Czech rising star Linda Noskova 7-6 (7-2), 6-3, as the 17th-ranked player continued her strong form following a China Open final appearance earlier this month. Meanwhile, extreme heat and humidity forced Czech 12th seed Karolina Muchova to retire while trailing Poland’s Magdalena Frech 7-6 (7-1), 4-1.

Sabalenka’s hard-fought win signals a strong start to her Asian swing as she looks to continue her dominance in Wuhan — a city where she has become something of a legend.

Aryna Sabalenka Battles Past Sramkova in Wuhan Return After US Open Triumph

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