Ann Li knocked Aryna Sabalenka out of the Wuhan WTA 1000 in the second round on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. The American won 3–6, 6–4, 7–6(5) in two hours and 27 minutes, finally converting her tenth match point. The result removed the top seed from the draw and sent Li into the round of 16.
A comeback with a prolonged finish
After dropping the opening set, Li trailed 4–2 in the second. She won nine of the next 11 games to build a 5–2 lead in the decider. Sabalenka fought back, saving five match points to reach 5–3, another two before 5–5 and two more in the tiebreak. Li finished the contest with a forehand winner.
It was Li's first victory over Sabalenka in four tour meetings. After so many chances had slipped away, the American had to find a way to close out the match again, having already lost her lead.
Serving numbers tell part of the story
The WTA's official match dashboard lists eight aces for Li and two for Sabalenka. Li hit four double faults, compared with six from her opponent. Those figures underline the contribution of serve in a contest ultimately settled by a two-point margin in the deciding tiebreak.
This article includes highlights from the WTA's official channel, published on October 14. The video covers the current match at Wuhan 2026.
Janice Tjen awaits
Li will face Janice Tjen, who advanced by beating Daria Snigur 7–5, 6–3. Both players will be seeking their first WTA 1000 quarterfinal. The round of 16 is scheduled for Thursday, October 15.
Wuhan is the season's final WTA 1000 tournament. It is played on outdoor hard courts at the Optics Valley International Tennis Centre, with the singles final scheduled for Sunday, October 18.
