Aryna Sabalenka extended her title drought to 10 tournaments on Wednesday, falling 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) to American Ann Li in the second round of the Wuhan Open. The world number two dropped the match in two hours and 27 minutes after failing to close out a contest she once led by a set and a break.
How Ann Li Orchestrated the Wuhan Upset
After taking the opening set comfortably, the Belarusian player established a 4-2 lead in the second set before Li mounted a comeback to force a decider. Sabalenka required medical assistance during the second partial due to discomfort in her left knee, and later needed a medical timeout in the deciding set for issues in her right knee as the American advanced to a 5-1 and 5-2 lead. Despite saving nine match points and breaking back to force a tiebreak, Sabalenka’s 44 unforced errors proved decisive, while Li hit 28 unforced errors. Li ultimately converted her tenth match point to secure the biggest victory of her career against the world number two, who remains without a title since her Miami Open victory in March.
THE BIGGEST WIN OF HER CAREER 💪Ann Li defeats the No.1 seed in Wuhan!#dongfengvoyahwuhanopen pic.twitter.com/UXmnwsiJDK
The Depth of Sabalenka’s Recent Slump
The early exit in Wuhan compounds a difficult stretch for the player, who dropped the world number one ranking to Elena Rybakina following the US Open. Sabalenka reached the final at the US Open last month—where she lost to Rybakina—guaranteeing that she finished a season without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2022. Her recent ledger includes a third-round exit at the China Open against Nikola Bartunkova, starkly contrasting with her run of titles across 2024 and 2025. Historical records at the Wuhan Open—a tournament Sabalenka won in 2018, 2019, and 2024—offered no reprieve as Li, ranked 31st (alternatively cited as 26th), dismantled her rhythm. The Belarusian is unaccustomed to losing two matches in a row, with the last instance occurring in 2025 during the US Open final against Madison Keys and her opening match in Doha where Ekaterina Alexandrova left Sabalenka with no options.
What Lies Ahead
Sabalenka holds the second spot in the WTA rankings despite the loss, but her early exits leave questions regarding her physical readiness and consistency ahead of the season’s closing events and the WTA Finals.
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