Top seed Aryna Sabalenka shook off a second-set blip to win the Wuhan Open title for the third straight time after beating home favorite Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in the final Sunday.
Sabalenka, 26, who knocked out 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff in the semifinals Saturday, had seven aces and 32 winners and did not face a single break point in the opening set.
The Belarusian now has the most aces in WTA 1000 this season, surpassing world No. 5 Elena Rybakina.
Having won all three of their past meetings in straight sets, including the Australian Open final, world No. 2 Sabalenka lost some control in the second set against Zheng, the Paris Olympics gold medalist.
Sabalenka raced out to a 3-0 double-break lead in the deciding set and eventually converted her third championship point to seal her fourth title of the year and take her overall WTA singles title haul to 17.
“That sounds crazy,” Sabalenka said of becoming the first to win this event three straight times. “This place definitely feels like home.”
Sabalenka also won in 2018 and 2019. The event wasn’t held from 2020 to 2023 due to COVID.
Zheng was trying to become just the second Chinese player to claim a WTA 1000 title (Li Na, Cincinnati, 2012).
Sabalenka is targeting to reclaim the top ranking in the final weeks of the season, having already qualified for the season-ending WTA Finals along with world No. 1 Iga Swiatek.
Reuters contributed to this report.
