Clutching her racquet bag, Aryna Sabalenka struck a playful pose among pine trees, captioning it “Work life balance” with a smiling emoji. Her Instagram overflowed with glimpses of off-court life: Mediterranean escapes, gym sessions with her team, and sweeping shots of a Greek resort. Fresh off her second consecutive US Open title, the World No. 1 balanced business with leisure while most of her WTA peers battled in Beijing. Nursing a “minor injury” from New York, Sabalenka had withdrawn from the opener. Yet, with her Greek getaway behind her, she returned to Wuhan with fire in her eyes, achieving a historic win that even Serena Williams never managed.

Returning to action for the first time since claiming her fourth Grand Slam, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka took a set to find her rhythm at the Dongfeng Voyah, Wuhan Open. Once settled, she surged past Rebecca Sramkova 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, showcasing the power and poise that make her a tour-level nightmare.

Wuhan has long been Sabalenka’s fortress. She captured her first WTA 1000 title here in 2018 and has yet to taste defeat at the tournament. With this latest victory, the three-time champion extended her perfect Wuhan record to 18-0, marking the longest undefeated streak at a single event since Caroline Wozniacki’s run in New Haven.

Remarkably, Sabalenka is only the second player this century to win her first 18 main-draw matches at a single WTA-level event, following Wozniacki, who claimed her first 20 wins at New Haven, capturing three titles between 2008 and 2012. While Serena Williams couldn’t, her bestie could: Sabalenka etches her name in history as Wuhan’s unstoppable force.

Sramkova entered the clash with her own unbeaten streak in Wuhan, though it stretched to just one match, her opening-round triumph over Anna Kalinskaya. A year ago, the Slovak was riding high, breaking into the Top 50 after capturing her first WTA title in Hua Hin and reaching additional finals in Monastir and Jiujiang. This week marked her long-awaited debut on Wuhan’s grand stage.

For Sabalenka, the challenge only intensifies. Up next is a familiar foe, Liudmila Samsonova. The No. 16 seed clawed her way back from a set down to overcome Sofia Kenin 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 in nearly two hours of battle.

Their rivalry runs deep. Sabalenka leads 3-2 in H2H duels, including dominant straight-set wins in Cincinnati 2024 and Indian Wells 2025.

And as Sabalenka stormed into the next round, the World No. 1 found herself showered with love from Chinese fans in Wuhan, a surprise that lit up her first-round victory and fueled her fiery charge ahead.

Chinese fans stun Aryna Sabalenka during Wuhan win

Aryna Sabalenka returned to familiar territory in Wuhan, eyeing a fourth consecutive title. Following her brief break post-US Open win against Amanda Anisimova, the Belarusian faced the challenge of reigniting her form ahead of the WTA Finals. But when she stepped onto the court, the opening didn’t unfold as expected. World No. 66 Rebecca Sramkova came out firing, breaking Sabalenka in the very first game with a flurry of clean winners and fearless returns.

That explosive start set the tone for a one-sided first set, where Sramkova tallied 15 winners and five aces, dictating with power and precision. Sabalenka, by contrast, struggled to find her rhythm, producing just three winners from the baseline. Yet, the top seed began clawing her way back in the second set, refusing to bow to pressure. Down 15-40, she found her fire, blasting two clutch winners and snatching the crucial break.

From that moment, Sabalenka flipped the script. Her dominance surfaced in full force as she began outlasting Sramkova in the heavy rallies, matching fire with greater composure. Across the next two sets, she struck 24 winners, 20 of them from the ground, to completely seize control of the contest.

The World No. 1 weathered two major storms at 4-2 in the second and 4-1 in the third, saving a combined eight break points with unflinching resolve. Having lost both in the opener, she stood immovable when it mattered most.

After the hard-fought 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win, Sabalenka was visibly moved by the energy of the Chinese crowd. “Honestly, I did not expect that much support in the first round, and it felt really incredible playing in front of you. Thank you guys for coming!” she said.

Her words echoed her relief and resolve. The rust is gone, the rhythm restored, and as Wuhan roars behind her once more, Sabalenka’s quest for a fourth crown begins in earnest.