Sabalenka tames Zheng in Wuhan

Aryna Sabalenka shows her dejection during her three-set defeat against Emma Navarro of the United States in their fourth round match during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 13, 2024 in Indian Wells, California.

MANILA, Philippines — Aryna Sabalenka became the first player to win the Wuhan Open three times by defeating local hero Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in the final on Sunday.

The top seed, who also triumphed at the event in 2018 and 2019, kept her undefeated record in Wuhan intact, improving to a perfect 17-0.

Sabalenka was put to the test by a gritty Zheng in a rematch of the 2024 Australian Open final before she captured an Open era record fifth title on Chinese soil.

With two Grand Slam titles and a WTA 1000 success in Cincinnati under her belt already in 2024, Sabalenka picked up her fourth trophy of the season from seven finals reached.

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