Aryna Sabalenka handled the business much more easily today and ousted No. 16 seed Liudmila Samsonova 6-3 6-2 to reach the Wuhan quarterfinal.
Yesterday, the world No. 1 struggled early on before completing a 4-6 6-3 6-1 win over Rebecca Sramkova.
Today, Sabalenka broke Samsonova in the sixth game and that was enough for the top seed to bag the opening set. With two breaks in the second set, the Belarusian tennis star sealed a routine straight-set win.
Sabalenka, who is a three-time champion in Wuhan, now owns a 19-0 lifetime record at the tournament. In the quarterfinal, the top-seeded Belarusian will battle against the winner of the match between Elena Rybakina and Linda Noskova.
Pegula joins Sabalenka in the Wuhan quarterfinal
Sixth-seeded Pegula had another tough day at the office – but most importantly – managed to edge out No. 9 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-5 3-6 6-3 and reach the Wuhan quarterfinal.
After stunningly taking the first set from 5-2 down, Pegula failed to build on her momentum and the match went into a decider – where Alexandrova registered an early break and went 2-1 up. But just as she did in the first set, the American tennis star staged a comeback as she took five of the next six games.
This was the fifth consecutive three-set match that Pegula has played.
“I can’t remember the last time I played two sets. But I’ve been competing really hard and I’ve been playing a lot of really good players. It was different conditions today with the roof closed and I think it took us a little while to get adjusted, but then I felt like it was a really high level there for the rest of the match. I’m just excited I was able to get over the finish line," the American said.
Pegula meets either Iva Jovic or Katerina Siniakova in the Wuhan quarterfinal.
