After her impressive win in New York, where Aryna Sabalenka came roaring back after heartbreaks in 2 Grand Slam finals this year, the Belarusian player decided to pull out of the China Open in Beijing. “Hi all – I am sad to announce my withdrawal from the China Open this year after sustaining a small injury after the US Open. I am going to focus on being 100% healthy for the rest of the year and I can’t wait to see my Chinese fans soon! I look forward to returning to Beijing next year and wish the tournament good luck,” she wrote.

This break from the Asian swing gave her the time she needed to rest and get ready, away from the hustle and grind of the tour. Before the WTA 1000 event in Wuhan, Sabalenka shared that she feels refreshed and ready to compete.

As reported by journalist Reem Abulleil on X, Sabalenka explained the rationale behind her extended absence, stating, “I feel good. I just didn’t want to rush my body into the tournament, so I think we made the right decision to take extra time for recovery and for the preparation, and now physically, I feel ready to go.”

She’s been really about managing her schedule this season to focus on long-term performance. For instance, she decided to pull out of the WTA Canadian Open in Montreal earlier this summer so she could be in top shape for the North American hard-court swing. She’s made the most of her time off after the US Open, vacationing in Athens with her boyfriend, and even going on a double date with Novak Djokovic and his wife, Jelena.

“I took some extra time to recover and make sure I’m ready,” said Sabalenka. “Now I can assure you that I will do my best. And hopefully, I can claim this beautiful trophy again.”

Aryna Sabalenka’s comeback tournament in Wuhan is important for her. She has an impressive 17-0 record at this event and is the three-time defending champion, having clinched the title in 2018, 2019, and again in 2024. Her return also shakes things up in the race for the year-end No. 1 ranking, where she’s currently ahead of her nearest competitor, Iga Swiatek. But do you remember how emotional Sabalenka got after winning the US Open?

Aryna Sabalenka opened up about a tragic moment in her life

Aryna Sabalenka lost her father back in 2019 when he was only 43 years old. He was dealing with meningitis, which is an infection that causes inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. Even though it was the hardest fight she faced in her life, Sabalenka found the strength to keep a special promise she made to her father, which was that she was definitely going to snag at least one slam before she hits 25.

Well, she has done more than just that! After her win over Amanda Anisimova at the 2025 US Open, she shared her thoughts on losing her father, saying, “It means a lot. And you know, when he passed away, I was very depressed. It was a tough moment for me, for my family. But in that moment, I decided to take it as motivation to put our family name in the history.”

Aryna Sabalenka has really made her mark in history and kept the promise she made to her father. She also mentioned, “I know that he’s, I want to believe, and I think I feel his protection from up there. And I know that he became my power. So, it means a lot.” With the clock ticking at the Wuhan Open, we’ll just have to wait and see how she performs when she gets to the tournament.