Aryna Sabalenka battled through to the third round of the Wuhan Open after defeating Rebecca Sramkova with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 on October 4, 2023. This match marked Sabalenka’s first competitive appearance since her triumph at the US Open last month. Initially struggling to find her rhythm, the four-time Grand Slam champion showcased her resilience by overcoming an early deficit against Sramkova, who started the match with impressive momentum.
In the opening set, Sabalenka demonstrated signs of rustiness. Both players failed to hold their first service games, but Sramkova capitalized on this early vulnerability, breaking Sabalenka again in the third game. With few errors to hinder her progress, the Slovakian player secured the first set in just 35 minutes. Reflecting on the match, Sabalenka acknowledged Sramkova’s performance, stating, “Rebecca played incredible tennis, especially in the first set. There wasn’t much I could do.”
Turning the tide in the second set, Sabalenka increased her aggression, breaking Sramkova in the fourth game. The momentum shifted further when Sabalenka saved four break points during a lengthy seventh game, which appeared to diminish Sramkova’s confidence. After clinching the second set, Sabalenka maintained her dominance in the final set, breaking Sramkova twice more to secure her place in the next round, where she will face Liudmila Samsonova.
Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula Progress
In other action, Coco Gauff continued her strong performance at the Wuhan Open, advancing with a decisive 6-1, 6-0 victory over Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima. Gauff, currently ranked third in the world, completed the match in just 51 minutes. She is set to meet Chinese wild card Zhang Shuai in the next round.
Meanwhile, Jessica Pegula faced a challenging match against fellow American Hailey Baptiste. After being broken twice while serving for the match in the third set, Pegula managed to regroup and secure a tight victory, winning 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (8-6) on her seventh match point. Pegula will next compete against ninth-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova, who defeated American Ann Li 7-6 (7-5), 6-2.
As the tournament progresses, Sabalenka, Gauff, and Pegula continue to demonstrate their skills and determination, vying for a prestigious title at the Wuhan Open. Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports Tennis as the tournament unfolds.
