Wuhan Open Sparks: Pagula and Sabalenka Surge into Quarterfinals
9 October 2025
Pagula survives a late stumble to reach the Wuhan Open quarterfinals
American star Jessica Pagula, nicknamed the queen of deciding sets, claimed her sixth consecutive three-set win by overcoming Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 to advance to the Wuhan Open (WTA 1000) quarterfinals on Thursday.
Pagula, seeded sixth, said after the match that she could hardly recall the last time she played two sets, emphasizing the tough conditions with the roof closed and the need to adapt before finding a higher level for the remainder of the match. She added that she was excited simply to reach the finish line after a gruelling battle.
The American trailed 5-2 in the opening set but fought back to secure the set 7-5, marking the fourth of five consecutive sets she won during her comeback. By the end of the match, she had improved her overall record against Alexandrova to 3-3, recording her first win on a non-clay surface against the Russian.
Pagula will face the winner of the Noskova–Rybakina clash in the quarterfinals, with the Czech Linda Noskova and Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina set to determine her opponent.
According to Opta, Pagula’s 2025 season includes 25 matches in three-set formats—the most in that category this year aside from a few peers. Her quarterfinal record this season stands at 7-2, a stat line she has quietly built up with consistency, even as a few losses came at the hands of Alexandrova.
Pagula’s run into the quarterfinals also places her among a small group of active players to reach the last eight in all 10 WTA 1000 events on the schedule this year, joining Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina in that elite cohort. Her sustained run highlights a busy 2025 campaign in which she’s repeatedly elevated her level in pressure moments.
In another big result from Wuhan, Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1, also advanced to the quarterfinals by overpowering compatriot Liudmila Samsonova in straight sets 6-3, 6-2. Sabalenka’s path to the last eight keeps her on track for another deep run in a season that has already featured multiple milestone performances.
Sabalenka will meet the winner of the Noskova–Rybakina pairing in the next round, as the Belarusian continues to demonstrate why she sits atop the rankings and why she remains a favorite for the title at the event.
Key statistics and context
The matchups on Thursday underscored the importance of clutch play in the decisive moments, with Pagula and Sabalenka both converting crucial opportunities to assert control after tense stretches. Pagula’s five-set pressure and Sabalenka’s precision in the forecourt and on serve were defining features of the day’s play.
Pagula’s extended record in quarterfinal appearances this season marks one of her strongest seasons to date, and her continued success in the 1,000-point events reflects a broader trend of her ability to raise her game in major late-stage moments.
As for the rest of the field, Paolini progressed to the quarterfinals after beating Clara Tauson 3-6, 6-1, 3-1, joining a growing group of players contending for more deep runs in 1,000-point events this season. Her advancement adds to a storyline about emerging talents challenging the usual suspects in this tier of tournaments.
In all, the day reinforced Wuhan’s status as a testing ground for the season’s most-critical stretch, with Pagula and Sabalenka highlighting the ways in which consistent form, mental fortitude, and timely big shots can decide a match as much as pure technique.
Humor wraps up the update
Punchline 1: If a rally in Wuhan had a life coach, it would tell us to keep chasing the ball, because apparently the ball keeps chasing us back—talk about sport with a sense of irony.
Punchline 2: Sabalenka’s serve is so loud that even the line judges bring earplugs—tennis with its own personal soundtrack, and it’s playing in mono, not stereo.
