Zheng Qinwen beaten in hometown Wuhan Open final after Sinner halts Djokovic in Shanghai
Olympic champion takes a set off Aryna Sabalenka for first time before the Belarusian wins her third title in city where Zheng grew up
Aryna Sabalenka became the first player to win the Wuhan Open three times by defeating local hero Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in the final.
The top seed, who also triumphed at the event in 2018 and 2019, was put to the test by a gritty Zheng in a rematch of this year’s Australian Open final.
Zheng, the Olympic gold medallist, was competing in front of her home fans, in the city where she grew up.
Before a capacity crowd of 13,000 at the Optic Valley International Tennis Centre, Sabalenka wrapped up the opening set with her second ace, dropping just five points on serve along the way.
The Belarusian looked on course for another routine win when she broke in the third game of the second set but Zheng had other ideas.
She capitalised on a Sabalenka error to break and secure a set against her opponent for the first time to take the final into a decider.
