American world No. 31 Ann Li rallied from a set down to upset top seed Aryna Sabalenka 3-6 6-4 7-6(5) and reach the round of 16 at the Wuhan Open. Li recovered from 2-4 down in the second set before prevailing in a dramatic deciding-set tiebreak, finally converting her 10th match point to seal an extraordinary victory that could haunt the world No. 2 for a long time.
Sabalenka was making her fifth appearance in Wuhan, where she has enjoyed remarkable success. She lifted the trophy in 2018, defeating Anett Kontaveit in the final, before successfully defending her title in 2019 with a victory over Alison Riske-Amritraj. She claimed her third Wuhan crown in 2024, beating Zheng Qinwen in the final.
However, Sabalenka’s impressive record at the tournament has taken a hit in the last two years. After winning her first 20 matches in Wuhan, the Belarusian has suffered back-to-back defeats, losing to Jessica Pegula in the 2025 semifinals before falling to Li in a dramatic encounter this time around.
The result is particularly significant for Li, who had lost all three of her previous meetings with Sabalenka, including their clash earlier this year during the Belarusian’s title-winning run in Miami. This time, the American turned the tables in spectacular fashion, claiming her first career victory over the three-time Wuhan champion.
Sabalenka fought desperately to stay alive, saving seven match points as she battled back from 2-5 to 5-5 in the deciding set, then fending off two more in the tiebreak. However, Li finally converted her 10th match point to seal an extraordinary upset in the second round of the Wuhan Open.
