Ann Li’s Signature Win Headlines a Wild Day in Wuhan
American Ann Li pulled off the biggest win of her season on Wednesday in central China, eliminating top seed Aryna Sabalenka in the second round of the Wuhan Open. Ann Li survived Aryna Sabalenka 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) after more than two and a half hours of tennis on a day that swung wildly between the two players.
The American had never beaten Sabalenka in three prior meetings, and the Belarusian looked firmly in control after cruising through the opening set. What followed instead was one of the most chaotic finishes of the WTA season, and a result that instantly became one of the most searched storylines in American tennis this week.
Ten Match Points and a Dramatic Tiebreak
Sabalenka raced through the first set but could not finish the job. After saving two break points early and later being broken back, she took the first set 6-3, but Li ultimately won the last four games of the second to force a decider. The final set turned into a survival test for both players.
Trailing in the final set, the world No. 2 had saved seven match points before the tie-break ever began. Li could not convert chance after chance, and it was only on her tenth match point that the American finally got the better of Sabalenka, sealing the victory and one of the signature wins of her career.
A Rough Stretch Deepens for Sabalenka
The defeat extends a miserable run through the Asian swing for the world No. 2, who was already seeking confidence after being eliminated in the third round the previous week in Beijing at the China Open. Wuhan had long been a fortress for Sabalenka, who arrived as a three-time champion.
Sabalenka previously held a 20-0 record at the Wuhan venue and is a three-time champion there, a streak interrupted only once before. Last year she reached the semifinals before losing to Jessica Pegula, a defeat that ended her unbeaten 20-match win streak at the tournament dating back to her 2018 debut. Now she has lost in consecutive years in the city where she once seemed untouchable.
Concern Over a Taped Knee
Adding to the alarm, Sabalenka played large portions of Wednesday's match with heavy black tape wrapped around her knee. She was forced to take a medical timeout for the injury while trailing 4-1 in the decider as her level began to drop. The knee support drew attention from fans wondering whether she was dealing with a physical problem, though there has been no confirmed diagnosis.
Off the Court, Badosa Keeps Close Watch
The loss comes during what has been described as one of the toughest seasons of Sabalenka's career away from the result sheet. In 2026 she has been going through a rough phase, having not won any title since March and suffering a series of disappointing and frustrating losses.
Her close friend and tour rival Paula Badosa addressed the slump this week in an interview with the Spanish outlet MARCA. “I've been talking to her a lot and she knows she'll always have my support, just as I have hers,” Badosa said, describing a friendship she noted is rare to find among active competitors on tour.
What Comes Next in Wuhan and Beyond
Li's reward for the upset is a third-round date against Janice Tjen, with the American now building momentum in what has become her best WTA 1000 run of the season. For Sabalenka, the early exit leaves little time to find answers before the tour heads toward the season-ending WTA Finals.
The China swing has already produced several shocks this week on both tours, including results at the men's Shanghai Masters, where another seeded player was stunned, and a similar first-round upset in the ATP draw. Those results, paired with Sabalenka's exit, underline how unpredictable the fall hard-court swing has become.
Sabalenka's difficult week also unfolded against a backdrop of politics in tennis. Aryna Sabalenka and Mirra Andreeva will remain without flags and out of team competitions following the ruling of the latest World Tennis General Assembly, a decision made at the ITF's Annual General Meeting in Almaty, Kazakhstan on October 13, where delegates considered resolutions on Russian and Belarusian participation. It means the Belarusian star continues to compete as a neutral athlete even as she searches for form on court.