Aryna Sabalenka overcame a set and 4-2 deficit to defeat Coco Gauff 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a tense Wuhan Open semifinal, extending her unbeaten streak at the tournament to 16 matches. Sabalenka, the world No. 2, battled through Gauff’s dominant start and capitalized on the American’s serving struggles, including a costly 21 double faults, to secure her place in the final.
Gauff came out strong, racing through the first set in just 19 minutes, breaking Sabalenka twice for a commanding 5-0 lead. She continued her momentum into the second set, going up 4-2 and appearing poised to reach the final. However, Gauff’s serve began to falter, allowing Sabalenka to seize control. The Belarusian took seven consecutive games, leveling the match and taking an early lead in the final set.
Though Gauff fought back to tie the decider at 4-4, Sabalenka held her nerve and broke once more, sealing the win on her second match point. Sabalenka, a two-time Wuhan champion (2018, 2019), now faces China’s Zheng Qinwen in the final. Zheng became the first Chinese player to reach a WTA 1000 final on home soil after defeating compatriot Wang Xinyu 6-3, 6-4.
Reflecting on Gauff’s struggles, Sabalenka sympathized with her opponent, having worked through similar serving issues earlier in her career. Gauff, on a nine-match winning streak after her Beijing title run, acknowledged the difficulties as part of her development and remains optimistic despite the setback.
Sabalenka will look to extend her dominant form in the final, while Gauff continues to focus on refining her game ahead of the season’s end.
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