World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka continued her ironclad grip on the Wuhan Open Thursday, dispatching Liudmila Samsonova 6-3, 6-2 to push her unbeaten run at the tournament to an astonishing 19 straight matches and secure a spot in the quarterfinals. The Belarusian powerhouse, fresh off defending her U.S. Open title last month, has transformed the Optics Valley International Tennis Centre into her personal stronghold, with previous triumphs here in 2018, 2019, and 2024 fueling what now stands as the second-longest perfect streak at a single WTA event this century.
Sabalenka’s dominance was on full display against Samsonova, breaking the Russian’s serve four times while dropping just one service game of her own. “Wuhan feels like home,” Sabalenka said post-match, grinning as she reflected on her “Daughter of Wuhan” moniker — a nod to her three prior titles and affinity for local cuisine like fried rice. Next up for the top seed is a blockbuster quarterfinal clash with No. 8 Elena Rybakina, who advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Linda Noskova. A victory there would mark Sabalenka’s 20th consecutive win at the event, edging her closer to eclipsing Caroline Wozniacki’s record 20-match streak at New Haven from 2008-2012.
The Belarusian’s surge has overshadowed a pair of equally scorching performances from rivals Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, both of whom advanced to the last eight amid their own red-hot form. No. 2 Swiatek, the reigning Wimbledon champion and owner of three titles already this year (Seoul, Cincinnati, and the All England Club), outlasted former Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic 7-6 (2), 6-4 in a tense battle that improved her head-to-head edge over the Swiss to 5-1. The Pole, boasting a stellar 61-15 record for 2025, has now notched 60 wins this season — a feat she’s achieved in four straight years, unmatched by any woman since 2000. Swiatek’s path forward pits her against Jasmine Paolini, setting up a potential semifinal showdown with the winner of Sabalenka-Rybakina.
Meanwhile, No. 3 Gauff, the French Open winner and architect of a 46-14 ledger in 2025, cruised past hometown hope Shuai Zhang 6-3, 6-2, extending her winning streak on Chinese hard courts to five matches. The 21-year-old American, who fell in the China Open semifinals last week, showed no signs of rust, firing six aces and converting five of seven break points against a wildcard crowd favorite. Gauff will next face Laura Siegemund, who pulled off a gritty upset over Mirra Andreeva earlier in the day. “I’m building confidence here,” Gauff noted, eyeing her first Wuhan title and a third WTA 1000 crown of the season.
As the WTA 1000 event enters its business end — with $3.65 million in prize money on the line and crucial WTA Finals qualifying points at stake — the top of the women’s game is firing on all cylinders. Sabalenka’s quest for a fourth Wuhan trophy adds intrigue, but with Swiatek’s clay-to-grass versatility and Gauff’s explosive youth in the mix, the semifinals promise fireworks. For now, though, it’s the Belarusian’s streak stealing the spotlight in this “Home of Asian Tennis.”
