WUHAN, China: Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka battled hard Wednesday to keep her unbeaten record in Wuhan intact, having to come from behind to beat Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.
The world number one started slowly in her first match since she clinched a fourth Grand Slam title at the US Open last month.
But the Belarusian found her power game in the final set to reach the Wuhan Open last 16, where she will face the 16th-seeded Russian Liudmila Samsonova.
Sabalenka is chasing a fourth consecutive crown in Wuhan where she has a perfect 18-0 win-loss record.
The first three games went against serve but it was Sramkova who consolidated for 3-1, and it was all she needed to grab the opening set in 35 minutes, firing 15 winners.
Sabalenka hit back to level and swept through the decider to win in just under two hours.
“She played incredible tennis, especially in the first set. There wasn’t much I could do against her,” said Sabalenka.
“I knew after that little break, it will be not that easy to get back in my rhythm.
“But I’m really glad that in the second set I found my game, I stepped in, and I think I played really great.”
Gauff cruise
Third seed Coco Gauff, a semifinalist in Wuhan last year, booked her place in the last 16 with a smooth 6-1, 6-0 performance against Japanese qualifier Moyuka Uchijima.
Gauff was flawless throughout a 51-minute victory that was her 18th on Chinese soil since 2023, the most at WTA level by any player in China during that period.
Gauff will square off with Chinese wildcard Zhang Shuai for a place in the quarter-finals.
In contrast, world number six Jessica Pegula survived a “wild ride,” needing seven match points and almost three hours to overcome fellow American Hailey Baptiste 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (8/6).
Pegula served for the win twice, at 5-2 and 5-4 in the third set, but Baptiste dug deep to save five match points and took four games in a row for a 6-5 advantage.
Pegula steadied the ship to force a tiebreak and she finally wrapped up the victory on her seventh match point.
“It’s been brutal,” said Pegula, who will face Russian ninth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the third round.
“Match points, then she started playing well, I think I just got a little tentative,” admitted Pegula.
“And that’s all it takes sometimes for someone to come back.
“I’m really proud of myself for how I held it together because I think I easily could have just collapsed. But I held tough, so yeah, that was a wild ride.”
Heat again played a factor as 12th-seeded Karolina Muchova joined the likes of Emma Raducanu, Jelena Ostapenko and Dayana Yastremska on the list of mid-match retirees in Wuhan.
With temperatures soaring above 30°C, Muchova struggled with the heat and had her vitals checked on court before she retired while trailing Magdalena Frech 7-6 (7/1), 4-1.
Sabalenka battles to keep Wuhan record alive, Pegula survives marathon
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Sabalenka battles to keep Wuhan record alive, Pegula survives marathon
- The world number one started slowly in her first match since she clinched a fourth Grand Slam title at the US Open last month
Aoki beat Brady to win dramatic E1 Jeddah GP and take early championship lead
- The win marked the second time Aoki Racing Team has triumphed in Jeddah, giving the outfit an early lead in the championship
JEDDAH: Aoki Racing Team claimed victory at the E1 Jeddah GP 2026 after an intense final on the waters of the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, fending off defending champions Team Brady.
The win marked the second time Aoki Racing Team has triumphed in Jeddah, giving the outfit an early lead in the championship. Pilots Sara Misir and Dani Clos delivered a commanding performance in front of thousands of spectators, capitalizing on a decisive final run.
After the checkered flag, Team AlUla — championed by LeBron James — were promoted to third place after debutants Sierra Racing Club received a penalty for an overtaking infringement, dropping them to fifth.
The race was packed with drama from the outset, with Misir going foil-to-foil with Team Rafa’s Spanish pilot Cris Lazarraga into the opening corner. There was a slight touch between the two E1 RaceBirds, with Misir emerging ahead.
Teammate Clos had earlier done the groundwork in Final 1 to secure the inside lane for Misir. The Jamaican pilot then dominated the remaining six laps, showcasing a strong display of teamwork and race control.
Misir was also awarded the coveted PIF Pilot of the Day award in recognition of her outstanding performance on debut for Aoki Racing Team. Her racecraft, control and consistency under pressure stood out throughout the day’s racing.
The Jeddah race marked the championship’s now traditional Saudi season opener, reinforcing the Kingdom’s growing role in the future of electric sport, sustainable mobility and innovation on water.
Trophies were presented to Aoki Racing Team by HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, minister of sport; to Team Brady by HRH Prince Sultan bin Fahd bin Salman Al-Saud, chairman of the Saudi Water Sports and Diving Federation; and to Team AlUla pilots by Sophi Horne, founder and chairman of Seabird Technologies.
Misir said: “It feels good. Dani went out there and finished P1, so I knew I had big boots to fill. I went out, kept my head down and tried my hardest.”
Her teammate, Clos, added: “I’m on a cloud. This is an amazing place to be — I’m happy with Aoki Racing Team, happy with everyone around me. This is super special for us.”
Alejandro Agag, founder and chairman of E1, who also presented trophies to the winning representatives, said: “Seeing Aoki Racing Team clinch victory here today in Jeddah by beating the defending champions was an exhilarating spectacle, framed against the Red Sea skyline.
“All the teams were cheered on by thousands of spectators who gathered to watch the racing action. Our thanks go to them and our fantastic partners — the Saudi Water Sports and Diving Federation and the Ministry of Sport — who have once again extended their hospitality and helped us deliver an incredible event.”
Attention now turns to Lake Como, Italy, from April 24–25, as the championship heads to Europe for the next stop on its global tour.
