Pegula and Gauff Power Through Wuhan: A Three-Set Spark and a One-Sided Stampede
8 October 2025
Pegula advances in a tight three-set thriller
Jessica Pegula, the sixth seed, faced Hailey Baptiste in the Wuhan Open 1,000-point event. This was their first meeting in more than three years, and Pegula was chasing her third win in three against the 23-year-old Baptiste. The match stretched nearly three hours and included multiple moments of decisive pressure, but Pegula prevailed in a dramatic three-set clash, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6, in 2 hours and 55 minutes, advancing to the third round in Wuhan for the second consecutive year.
Pegula’s next opponent will be ninth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, who beat American Li in the second round in straight sets, 7-6, 6-2.
After the match, Pegula spoke to reporters via the WTA site: “I don’t really know what to say about that match; it was tough. I found myself on the edge with the deciding points, and she started playing well. I got a bit nervous at times, which is all it takes for someone to mount a comeback, but I’m really proud of how I held on; it was quite a rollercoaster.”
Return and resilience
Pegula entered the match coming off a painful Beijing semifinal defeat to Linda Noskova the week prior, and she looked sharp and focused on the road ahead.
She broke Baptiste’s serve in the opening game and raced to a 2-0 lead after a tough game, extending to 4-1 before Baptiste clawed back to two margins, though Pegula closed the opening set in 50 minutes.
The momentum swung in the second set as Baptiste broke Pegula twice to lead 5-2; Pegula clawed back to 5-4, but the young American steadied and sealed the second set in 52 minutes.
With the heat policy in effect for a second straight day in Wuhan, both players declined a 10-minute break between the second and third sets and stayed on court to continue the duel.
Pegula controlled much of the deciding-set action, moving ahead 5-2, but the finish was not straightforward. She wasted five match points before Baptiste mounted a comeback to level at 5-5; Pegula then earned a decisive break to go ahead 6-5, just a single game away from victory.
Ultimately Pegula kept her composure, served strongly, and forced a deciding tiebreak in the third set. After another missed chance, she converted her seventh opportunity to seal the win in a 74-minute, three-set marathon.
Gauff powers through Yoshijima
In another standout showing, Coco Gauff delivered a commanding performance against Moyo Yoshijima, defeating her 6-1, 6-0 in 51 minutes to advance to the third round in Wuhan for the second consecutive year, aiming to push toward the semifinals.
The American star dominated with a virtually clean attack, winning 12 of 13 games and 55 of 77 points on serve. Her serve was near flawless, with just a handful of errors and no double faults, highlighting her level heading into the next round.
Over the past three years, Gauff has been particularly successful on Chinese courts, showcasing her comfort on the surface as she seeks another deep run in the tournament. In the third round, she is set to meet Zhang Shuai, who edged past Sorana Cristea 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
Belinda Bencic, seeded 13, also progressed to the third round after Elise Mertens withdrew due to injury, setting up a clash with Iga Swiatek. Other notable results included Clara Tauson and Liudmila Samsonova advancing as the draw unfolds with a flurry of competitive tennis on display.
For a day packed with high-intensity rallies, the Wuhan Open continues to deliver nerve-wracking moments and flashes of exceptional play, with Pegula and Gauff leading a slate of stars into the next round.
Two light punchlines to wrap this up: 1) If patience were a weapon, Pegula would be filing a peace treaty with the court—quiet, precise, and on target every time. 2) In Wuhan, even the heat seems to take a backseat to a couple of serve-and-volleys that would make a sniper jealous of their accuracy.
