2025 Wuhan Open: Swiatek's First Defeat to Paolini, Sabalenka Dominates at Home with 20 Consecutive Wins

On October 10th Beijing time, the 2025 Wuhan Open wrapped up the quarterfinal matches, showcasing a brilliant singles semifinal roster. The top seed Sabalenka, third seed Gauff, sixth seed Pegula, and seventh seed Paolini each overcame their rivals to secure spots in the final four.

Paolini

Seventh seed Paolini went up against second seed Swiatek in this round, having lost all six prior meetings between them. Today’s match was a complete turnaround compared to before, with Paolini controlling the game throughout. She converted all five break points she earned, allowing Swiatek to hold serve only twice. In just 65 minutes, Paolini cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 victory. With Rybakina exiting in the quarterfinals, Paolini now holds a stronger position for qualifying for this year’s WTA Finals in Riyadh.

After the match, Paolini said, “I really enjoyed every minute today because I was fully focused and really enjoyed the entire match. I’m also very grateful to all the fans cheering for me. Today was a wonderful day. Of course, winning the last point and securing the match victory was probably the most beautiful moment.”

Gauff

Paolini’s semifinal opponent will be third seed Gauff. Gauff faced German veteran Siegemund, who reached the WTA 1000 quarterfinals for the first time, and continued her excellent form in this tournament by winning comfortably in straight sets 6-3, 6-0.

Gauff commented after the match, “I feel like my ability to seize opportunities has really improved, especially in the matches here in Wuhan where I’ve played very well. Of course, I faced some tough moments, but I handled them quite well.”

Sabalenka

Three-time champion Sabalenka clashed with Rybakina in a key matchup. Before Wuhan, they had met twice this season, each winning once. Sabalenka maintained her excellent form in Wuhan, securing a 6-3, 6-3 win after 1 hour and 25 minutes of intense battle to advance. This marks Sabalenka’s 20th consecutive singles win at the Wuhan Open, as she aims to claim the tournament’s four titles over the next two days.

Sabalenka said post-match, “I’m very happy to have won today because we’ve faced each other many times before. Every encounter is a high-level and tough battle. I’m glad I managed the pressure well and came out victorious in the end.”

Pegula

Sixth seed Pegula will face Sabalenka in the semifinals. In her first three matches at Wuhan, she battled through three sets each time. Against Czech qualifier Siniakova, Pegula recovered after losing the first set to win 2-6, 6-0, 6-3, reaching the Wuhan semifinals for the first time in her career. With Rybakina falling in the quarters, Pegula became the sixth player to secure a spot at this year’s WTA Finals in Riyadh, marking her fourth consecutive year qualifying for the event.

“Another interesting match. I’ve been improving with every match here in Wuhan. Eventually, I got on track, found my rhythm, and turned the match around. It was definitely tough, but I feel I could handle it, which is something a professional athlete must do,” Pegula said at the press conference.

Siegemund/Stollár

In doubles, wildcards Yuan Yue and Andreescu lost 4-6, 6-7(1) to eighth seeds Danilina and Krunić; Jiang Xinyu and Zhan Haoqing were defeated 4-6, 2-6 by Siniakova and Hunter, both pairs missing out on advancement. In other matches, Mihalikova and Nichols beat Noskova and Schramková 7-5, 2-6, 10-5; Siegemund and Stollár defeated Jovic and Volmos 6-4, 6-4 to reach tomorrow’s semifinals.

Day 6 Schedule

The schedule for October 11th has been released, with the women’s singles and doubles semifinals set to take place sequentially on the center court. At 15:00 Beijing time, Mihalikova and Nichols will face Siniakova and Hunter for the first doubles final berth; the singles semifinal between Gauff and Paolini will start no earlier than 17:00; Sabalenka versus Pegula will begin no earlier than 18:00. The final doubles semifinal, featuring Siegemund and Stollár against Danilina and Krunić, will close the day.

Photo: Provided by the tournament