World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka made a triumphant return to the WTA Tour at the 2025 Wuhan Open, extending her unbeaten record at the tournament to 18-0. However, her first-round match against world No. 68 Rebecca Sramkova on Wednesday, October 8, proved far from straightforward.
Sabalenka dropped the opening set, struggling with her rhythm and touch, likely a result of her recent injury layoff. Despite the early setback, she regrouped to win the next two sets, securing a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory in an hour and 58 minutes. She also took her head-to-head record against Sramkova to 2-1.
The Belarusian also became only the second player this century to win her first 18 main-draw matches at a single WTA-level event, after Caroline Wozniacki in New Haven, who won her first 20 matches.
This marked her first match since winning the US Open title last month. Following her triumph at Flushing Meadows, Sabalenka also missed the China Open due to an injury.
Sabalenka to face Samsonova next
The Wuhan Open has played a significant role in Sabalenka’s career. She has captured the title three times consecutively—in 2018, 2019, and 2024—and remains undefeated at the event since her debut in 2018. Her 2024 victory in Wuhan was particularly notable, as she overcame China’s Zheng Qinwen 6–3, 5–7, 6–3 in the final, marking her third straight title at the tournament.
Looking ahead, Sabalenka is set to face Liudmila Samsonova in the third round. The two have met five times before, with Sabalenka holding a 3-2 head-to-head advantage, including straight-sets wins in their two most recent encounters at Cincinnati 2024 and Indian Wells 2025.
Despite her initial rustiness, Sabalenka’s resilience and ability to recover from a set down demonstrate her readiness to defend her Wuhan title. As the tournament progresses, she will aim to build momentum and continue her dominance at this prestigious event.
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