19-0! Sabalenka maintains perfection with victory over Samsonova in Wuhan – Tennis Now
Aryna Sabalenka put on a wide-eyed smile for the camera after her 6-3, 6-2 victory over Luidmila Samsonova in Wuhan on Thursday.
However, on the court, during the 75-minute match, the world No. 1 was single-minded.
Sabalenka hit 21 winning points and only lost 10 points on serve, defeating the world’s 20th-ranked player and extending her winning streak in Wuhan to 19 games. The four-time Grand Slam champion never faced a break point and committed just 13 errors as she improved to 4-2 against Samsonova and improved to 58-10 on the season.
It was another stunning display of tennis prowess in her prime.
“I’m really happy with this win, especially against Lyudmila – she’s a tough opponent and we’ve had a lot of tough games in the past and I’m happy to end this match in straight sets.
“I’m very happy with my performance today, serving and returning well.”
Sabalenka has yet to lose a single match in four matches in Wuhan. Her 19-match winning streak in the Chinese city is the longest winning streak in the same WTA 1000 event since Serena Williams won 21 straight in Rome from 2012 to 2019.
The 27-year-old will compete in Wuhan this week for her 10th WTA 1000 title and 22nd overall. She will next face either Elena Rybakina or Linda Noskova.
Sabalenka, playing her first match since winning the U.S. Open in September, had to regroup to win her first-round match, beating Rebecca Sramkova 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, but now looks to be at full strength. She extended her winning streak to nine matches and reached her 30th WTA 1000 quarterfinal, tying her with Serena Williams for ninth on the all-time list since the format was launched in 2009.
In other matches in Wuhan on Thursday, Jessica Pegula advanced with a 7-5 3-6 6-3 victory over Clara Tauson, while Jasmine Paolini also advanced her hopes in Riyadh with a thumping 3-6 6-1 3-1 victory over Clara Tauson.
Katerina Siniakova defeated American teenager Iva Jovic 7-5, 6-3, while Germany’s Laura Siegemund became the fourth oldest player to reach the WTA 1000 quarter-finals, defeating Poland’s Magdalena Frech 6-4 7-6(2).
