Sabalenka extends Wuhan streak, books semi-final with Pegula

VIDEO SHOWS: HIGHLIGHTS FROM QUARTER-FINAL ACTION AT WTA 1000 WUHAN OPEN – WINS FOR ARYNA SABALENKA AND JESSICA PEGULA RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: WUHAN, CHINA (OCTOBER 10, 2025) (WTA/DAZN – See restrictions) ARYNA SABALENKA (BLACK DRESS) V ELENA RYBAKINA (WHITE DRESS) 1. TOSS FIRST SET 2. ARYNA SABALENKA HITS A FOREHAND VOLLEY PUTAWAY 3. FOREHAND WINNER BY ELENA RYBAKINA 4. SABALENKA TAKES SET AS RYBAKINA'S BACKHAND GOES LONG 5. SABALENKA'S TEAM CHEERING SECOND SET 6. RYBAKINA HITS FOREHAND WINNER  7. RYBAKINA HITS ANOTHER FOREHAND WINNER / SABALENKA REACTS 8. SABALENKA HITS FOREHAND WINNER AND CELEBRATING 9. SABALENKA WINS AS RYBAKINA'S FOREHAND GOES LONG 10. SABALENKA WALKING TO THE NET 11. PLAYERS SHAKE HANDS WITH EACH OTHER AND UMPIRE 12. SABALENKA WAVING TO CROWD JESSICA PEGULA (LILAC TOP) V KATERINA SINIAKOVA (WHITE DRESS) FIRST SET 13. KATERINA SINIAKOVA SERVING 14. SINIAKOVA HITS FOREHAND WINNER 15. SINIAKOVA TAKES SET AFTER PEGULA NETS BACKHAND  16. SINIAKOVA WALKING BACK SECOND SET 17. PEGULA WINS POINT WITH FOREHAND VOLLEY 18. PEGULA TAKES SET AS SINIAKOVA ERRS WITH BACKHAND THIRD SET 19. PEGULA HITS FOREHAND WINNER / SINIAKOVA REACTS 20. PEGULA WINS AS SINIAKOVA NETS FOREHAND AND CELEBRATES 21. PLAYERS MEET AT NET / SHAKE HANDS WITH UMPIRE 22. PEGULA WAVING TO CROWD STORY: Aryna Sabalenka extended her unbeaten run at the Wuhan Open to 20 matches with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Elena Rybakina on Friday (October 10), keeping alive her quest for a fourth straight title and setting up a semi-final clash with Jessica Pegula. In the 13th chapter of a rivalry that has played out on the biggest stages, including the 2023 Australian Open final, it was Sabalenka who struck first against Rybakina by breaking in the eighth game with a scorching forehand winner. Sabalenka, who won the Wuhan title in 2018-19 and again last year after the tournament returned following the COVID pandemic, clinched the opening set with a hold and broke Rybakina's serve in the first game of the second set to tighten her grip on the match. The world number closed out the victory despite a few service wobbles late on, improving her win-loss record against Rybakina to 8-5 and earning a measure of revenge for a defeat by the player from Kazakhstan in their last encounter this year in Cincinnati. Up next for the big-hitting Belarusian is American Pegula, who came from behind to beat Czech Katerina Siniakova 2-6 6-0 6-3 for her 50th match win of the season and boost her chances of qualifying for next month's season-ending WTA Finals. Sabalenka has won eight of her 10 meetings with Pegula, including in the U.S. Open final last year. German Laura Siegemund meets American third-seed Coco Gauff in another quarter-final later on Friday, before second seed Iga Swiatek of Poland meets Italian seventh seed Jasmine Paolini in a rematch of their 2024 French Open final. (Production: Bhagya Ayyavoo)

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