Sabalenka, Gauff advance to Wuhan Open qtr-finals

Agency :

World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka powered into the quarter-finals of the Wuhan Open on Thursday, defeating Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova 6-3, 6-2 to extend her unbeaten record in the central Chinese city, while third seed Coco Gauff downed Chinese veteran Zhang Shuai in straight sets.

The top-seeded Belarusian needed just an hour and 15 minutes to secure the victory, maintaining her bid for a record fourth Wuhan title. “I’m super happy,” Sabalenka said after the match.

“Happy with the level of it, happy to close this match in straight sets, and just really pleased with the performance.”

When asked whether she thinks about her legacy and the possibility of chasing all-time records, Sabalenka said she focuses more on self-improvement than on comparisons with past greats.

Sabalenka will next face eighth-seeded Elena Rybakina, who progressed to the quarter-finals with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Czech player Linda Noskova.

Gauff cruised past Zhang 6-3, 6-2 in just an hour. “It was a little bit up and down, but I’m happy to be into the next round. It wasn’t my best like level at some points, but I’m happy that I got there,” Gauff said after the match.

“Today’s result is a very normal outcome. Coco played very well, and I’m also happy to see her back in good form,” noted Zhang.