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 COMPLETE SCRIPT TO FOLLOW SHOWS: WUHAN, CHINA (OCTOBER 10, 2025) (WTA/DAZN – See restrictions) ARYNA SABALENKA (BLACK DRESS) V ELENA RYBAKINA (WHITE DRESS) JESSICA PEGULA (LILAC TOP) V KATERINA SINIKOVA (WHITE DRESS) SHOTLIST TO FOLLOW 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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