Aryna Sabalenka Lauds Elena Rybakina After Knocking Her Out of the Wuhan Open
Aryna Sabalenka to face Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals of the Wuhan Open.
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Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina (Image via X/The Tennis Letter, US Open Tennis)
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Aryna Sabalenka extended her winning streak at the Wuhan Open to 20 matches after an almost flawless display against Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals on Friday (October 10). The World No.1 also extended her head-to-head record against the Kazakhstan star to 8-5, her second win in their last three meetings.
Sabalenka proved that she was the defending champion as she started well against Rybakina at the Wuhan Open. The Belarusian star had lost to the No.8 seed at the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals in straight sets. She had started poorly in that game, which gave Rybakina the upper hand to dominate the match.
Sabalenka made sure she didn’t repeat the same mistake as she broke Rybakina early to lead 3-1. She then continued with the momentum, giving Rybakina no chance of a comeback. Rybakina had not dropped a set at the tournament, but after losing the first set against Sabalenka, there was no sign of a fight back.
The 27-year-old kicked off the second set the same way she had ended the first, hitting the ball harder than Rybakina, while applying pressure on the Kazakhstani star, which forced her to easily make errors. Sabalenka claimed the win 6-3, 6-3 in an hour and twenty-five minutes to reach the semi-finals of the Wuhan Open.
During her on-court interview, Sabalenka was asked about her history with Rybakina on the court having faced her 13 times. The World No.1 admitted that the Kazakhstani always pushes her to the limit to get the win. The US Open champion added that she is excited with her performance on the court:
She is a great player, a very nice girl and always tough to play against. We have a really huge history against each other. Always great battles, always excited playing her. She always pushes me to the limit to get the win.I’m super happy with the performance today and the win. I am really happy with the support in the stadium, thank you guys for coming. I feel a really great connection with the Chinese fans. I feel at home every time playing in this stadium.
Sabalenka became the fourth women’s player to win 20 consecutive matches in a single WTA event after Monica Seles at the Australian Open (33-0), Steffi Graf in Leipzig (25-0), and Caroline Wozniacki in New Haven (20-0). The four-time Grand Slam winner has only dropped one set at the Wuhan Open this season.
Aryna Sabalenka to play Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals of the Wuhan Open
Aryna Sabalenka will face Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals of the Wuhan Open, a rematch of the US Open semi-finals in September. Pegula earned her place in the last four after coming from behind to beat Katerina Siniakova 2-6, 6-0, 6-3. The American star has won all her matches at the Wuhan Open in three sets.
Pegula is seeking to secure her spot in the season-ending event if Iga Swiatek beats Jasmine Paolini in their quarter-final clash. The 31-year-old revealed that She wished her matches at the Wuhan Open had ended in straight sets after beating Siniakova. She added that she’s in good shape despite the strenuous task:
I guess I’m in really good shape. I definitely don’t think I need to play anymore matches or work on any physical stuff because I’ve been able to battle through these matches and play really well. But yeah, I don’t know. I’m happy I’ve been able to figure things out. Obviously, I wish maybe it was more straightforward for my mental and physical sake.
Pegula has a poor record against Sabalenka on tour, having won only two of their last ten matches, and has lost all their last four consecutive meetings. Their last meeting at the US Open in September, Sabalenka came from a set down to beat the American star 4-5, 6-3, 6-4.
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