Wuhan tournament | Aryna Sabalenka dismisses Coco Gauff and advances to the final

(Paris) Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka (2^e world) beat the American Coco Gauff (4^e) 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, Saturday in the semi-finals of the WTA 1000 in Wuhan.

Gauff, 20 years old, may have very big regrets with his 21 double faults. Sabalenka, 26, returns to 4-4 in their confrontations on the circuit.

Very aggressive, her younger sister got off to a great start as she led 5-0 in 19 minutes.

Sabalenka, harassed on her backhand, gave up her serve a third time in the first set, won by her opponent 6-1.

The American took control of her serve again from the start of the second set, pushing Sabalenka to attempt winning shots in each rally to get by.

The Belarusian managed to regain the break in the next game but, feverish on her backhand, she did not then keep her set-in.

Three double faults from Gauff in one game nevertheless allowed him to return to the score immediately at 2-2.

However, Sabalenka, still very crumbly on her backhand, was unable to take the lead because the American managed the break.

The world No.2 recovered to 4-4 after Gauff, increasingly annoyed, committed three more double faults in her service game.

Gauff had the opportunity to lead 5-4 but it was she who was broken, allowing Sabalenka to win the second set.

The Belarusian managed the entry break in the deciding set and battled to 2-0 to confirm it.

Trailing 3-0, Gauff was guilty this time of four double faults in one game, ultimately narrowly snatching away, thus stopping the bleeding of seven games lost in a row.

Behind, at 3-1, she got two break points, in vain.

But the American achieved it two games later to return to 4-4.

Gauff saved a first match point at 5-4 for Sabalenka before losing, like a symbol, on his 21^e double fault.

While she aims to dethrone in the ranking the world No.1, the Polish Iga Swiatek, absent in Beijing then in Wuhan, this success is precious for the native of Minsk, who won the last edition of this WTA 1000, organized in 2019 before the pandemic.

In the final, her fourth in a WTA 1000 this season, she will face a Chinese player: Qinwen Zheng (7^e world) or Wang Xinyu (51^e).