Aryna Sabalenka credits her recent victory at the Wuhan Open to a key lesson learned from her US Open defeat to Coco Gauff. Sabalenka, who fell to Gauff amidst intense crowd pressure at Flushing Meadows, says that experience helped her maintain focus and fend off local favorite Qinwen Zheng in the Wuhan final. Sabalenka’s resilience was tested as Zheng, fueled by the home crowd, leveled the match after Sabalenka took the first set. However, Sabalenka held her nerve and seized the third set, securing her third Wuhan Open title with a hard-fought 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 win.
Reflecting on her journey, Sabalenka noted the importance of ignoring the crowd and centering her focus on her team and tactics, a strategy she credits with clinching her fourth WTA title of the season. With wins this year at the Australian Open, Cincinnati Open, and US Open, Sabalenka’s Wuhan success underscores her adaptability and mental grit, proving she’s learned from each setback to fuel her climb back to the top.
