Aryna Sabalenka defeated Qinwen Zheng in the Wuhan Open final, winning with a score of 6-3, 5-7, 6-3. This victory marks Sabalenka’s fourth title of the year and her fourth on hard courts, adding to her earlier wins at the Australian Open, Cincinnati Masters, and the US Open. Her record for the season now stands at 54 wins and 12 losses.
Overview of the Match
The match featured a competitive battle between Sabalenka and Zheng. The 26-year-old hit seven aces and only one double fault, while the 22-year-old managed five aces but struggled with eight double faults. The Minsk native won 57% of her second serve points, compared to Zheng’s 38%. The World No.2 converted seven of her 12 breakpoint opportunities, while the Shiyan native converted five out of her 12 chances.
Overall, Sabalenka won 100 points in the match, while Zheng secured 90. The three-time Grand Slam winner receiving points totaled 47, compared to the Olympic gold medalist’s 40. The former World No.1 had a first-serve percentage of 69%, significantly higher than Zheng’s 45%. Throughout the match, Sabalenka won 17 games to Zheng’s 13, with Sabalenka stringing together a maximum of three consecutive games won, while the Chinese managed only two. In service games, Sabalenka won 10 of her 12 service games, while Zheng won eight. With this victory, Sabalenka has now won all three matches against the World No.7 in 2024, with previous victories at the Australian Open and the US Open.
Aryna Sabalenka’s Records
With this win, Sabalenka improved her unbeaten record against Zheng to 4-0. A two-time champion in Wuhan (2018 and 2019), the Belarusian became the first woman to win three consecutive titles at the tournament, extending her unbeaten streak in Wuhan to 17 matches. This title also represents Sabalenka’s 17th Hologic WTA Tour title and her fifth on Chinese soil, the most of any player in the Open Era.
Zheng’s performance in the tournament will see her rise to No. 7 on the PIF Race to the WTA Finals leaderboard, putting her in contention for the season-ending championships. She aims to become the first Chinese player to qualify for the WTA Finals since Li Na in 2013. Meanwhile, Sabalenka’s victory extended her career-best streak of Top 10 wins to six, tying her with World No. 1 Iga Swiatek. Each player recorded nine Top 10 victories this season.
