Aryna Sabalenka overcame a rusty start in Wuhan as she fought back to beat Rebecca Sramkova in her first appearance since winning the US Open.<\/p>\n
The world number one secured her first Grand Slam trophy of the year in New York, retaining her title as she defeated Amanda Anisimova in the final.<\/p>\n
But in her first match for over a month, Sabalenka’s game was initially riddled with errors and she struggled with the power of Slovakia’s Sramkova, ranked 68th in the world.<\/p>\n
However, after losing the first set she settled into her game in the second set before steamrolling through the third to wrap up a 4-6 6-3 6-1 victory.<\/p>\n
“I knew it would be not easy after the break [following the US Open] to get into my rhythm but I am glad in the second set I found my game, I stepped in and I played really great,” Sabalenka said.<\/p>\n
“I have to say she played incredible tennis, especially in the first set and there was not much I could do.”<\/p>\n
Sabalenka is the three-time defending champion in Wuhan, having won in 2018 and 2019, and again in 2024 following the tournament’s three-year hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
Asked what it was like to be nicknamed the “Daughter of Wuhan”, Sabalenka replied: “First I was ‘Daughter of China’, then ‘Queen of Fried Rice’ [a nickname she says is in honour of her love of the dish].<\/p>\n
“And then I talked to [China’s world number 10 Zheng] Qinwen and they actually call me ‘Tiger’. So many nicknames. <\/p>\n
“I won so many tournaments here and it feels like home, I hope I can go all the way.” <\/p>\n
Given a bye to the second round, Sabalenka cut a frustrated figure as she struggled with her serve, with a handful of double faults handing Sramkova an early break.<\/p>\n
The Slovak played Sabalenka at her own game, beating the top seed with deep, aggressive hitting to the baseline and huge serves as she took the opener 6-4.<\/p>\n
But Sabalenka eventually regained some rhythm to strike first in the second set and she fended off several break points to open up a 5-2 lead on her way to forcing a decider.<\/p>\n
With more momentum behind her, the four-time major champion took control in the third set, breaking twice and saving four more break points at 5-1 before securing the victory with another break of serve.<\/p>\n
Sabalenka will face Liudmila Samsonova after the Russian beat former Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin 3-6 6-3 6-1.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Coco Gauff breezed into the third round with a 51-minute win against Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima, who won just five points on the American third seed’s serve.<\/p>\n
Sixth seed Jessica Pegula avoided an upset in the second round, winning 6-4 4-6 7-6 (8-6) after converting her seventh match point in a gruelling two hour and 55 minute encounter with fellow American and world number 55 Hailey Baptiste.<\/p>\n
Pegula will face Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova next, while Gauff will play Shuai Zhang, the world number 142 who beat Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.<\/p>\n
Japan’s four-time major winner Naomi Osaka lost 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 to Czech Linda Noskova, the world number 17 who is continuing her fine run of form during the Asian swing after reaching the final of the China Open earlier this month.<\/p>\n