Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka came back from one set down to beat Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova 4-6 6-3 6-1 in her first appearance since her US Open title.
Sabalenka is chasing a fourth consecutive title in Wuhan where she has a perfect 18-0 win-loss record.
The first three games went against serve. Sramkova earne her second break in the third game and consolidated it with a hold in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead. Sramkova held on her service games to close out the first set 6-4 in 35 minutes.
Sabalenka broke serve in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead and fended off five break points in the seventh game in the seventh game to open up a 5-2 lead. The world number 1 served out the second set with a hold at 15.
Sabalenka broke twice in the first and fifth games and saved four break points at 5-1 before sealing the win with another break of serve on her second match point.
Sabalenka will face Liudmila Samsonova, who came back from one set down to beat former Australian Open Sofia Kenin 3-6 6-3 6-1.
Sixth seed Jessica Pegula battled past Hailey Baptiste 6-4 4-6 7-6 (8-6) after converting her seventh match point.
Jasmine Paolini came back from one set down to beat Yue Yuan 3-6 6-4 6-3 claiming her 39th WTA main draw win. Paolin will face Clara Tauson. The Italian player holds a 1-0 lead in their only previous head-t-head match. Paolini became the fourth Italian player to record 40 or more WTA 1000 hard-court main draw wins since the format was introduced in 2009.
Elena Rybakina beat Romania’s Jaqueline Adina Cristian 6-4 6-3 to reach the round of 16.
Both Paolini and Rybakina boosted their chances to qualify for the WTA Finals in Ryadh.
Rybakina will face Linda Noskova, who beat Naomi Osaka 7-6 (7-2( 6-3) continuing her good period of form during the Asian Swing after reaching the final at the China Open. Rybakina leads 2-0 in her previous head-to-head matches against Noskova after winning after winning at Roland Garros (6-3 6-3) in 2023 and in the Brisbane semifinals (6-3 6-2) in 2024.
Coco Gauff cruised past Moyuka Uchijima 6-1 6-1 in 51 minutes.
Number 12 seed Karolina Muchova was forced to withdraw whlle she was trailing 7-6 (7-1) 6-1 to Magdalena Frech.
