WUHAN — World number one Aryna Sabalenka’s difficult run continued on Wednesday as the Belarusian top seed lost 3-6 6-4 7-6(5) to unseeded American Ann Li in the Wuhan Open second round.
The defeat extended a trophyless spell for the four-time Grand Slam champion, whose last titles came at Indian Wells and Miami in March when she completed the Sunshine Double.
Sabalenka reached the US Open final last month but lost to Elena Rybakina, leaving her without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2022. She also exited the China Open in the third round earlier this month and surrendered the world number one ranking to Rybakina after the US Open.
The early exit came at a tournament where Sabalenka has enjoyed considerable success, having won the Wuhan title in 2018, 2019 and 2024. The WTA 1000 event was not held from 2020 to 2023 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Li, ranked 31st in the world, secured the biggest victory of her career after recovering from 4-2 down in the second set to force a decider.
Sabalenka fell 4-1 behind in the final set and took a medical timeout before mounting a comeback, saving five match points and holding serve to make it 5-3. Li stayed composed, eventually converting her 10th match point to seal the upset.
Sabalenka’s 44 unforced errors compared with Li’s 28 during the two-hour, 27-minute match.
Earlier on Wednesday, second seed Jessica Pegula also exited, with 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko rallying to win 2-6 7-6(7) 6-3.
