Aryna Sabalenka fights back from an impending defeat against Coco Gauff to reach the final of the Wuhan Open | Tennis News

Aryna Sabalenka rallied from a set down to 4-2 down as she capitalized on Coco Gauff's numerous double faults to reach the final of the Wuhan Open and extend her winning streak at the tournament to 16 games.

World No. 2 and recent US Open champion Sabalenka triumphed in Wuhan in 2018 and 2019 before the event was canceled for the next four years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Belarusian's hopes of a third straight title all but vanished when the ruthless Gauff ran through the first set 6-1 – she was 5-0 up in 19 minutes – and then found herself two games from victory after a break of serve Breaks ended five times in a row at the start of the second set.

But Gauff was broken twice at 4-2 as her serve continued to weaken – the American committed a total of nine double faults in the second set, including three in one game on two occasions.

Sabalenka won the second set 6-4 and then won the deciding set by the same score – in which Gauff also registered nine double faults, increasing her match tally to 21 – to draw level with her opponent at 4-4 and set up a finale on Sunday against Olympic champions Zheng Qinwen or Wang Xinyu.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka was completely dominated in the first set and looked to the heavens with relief as she won the sixth game to avoid being knocked out.

The second set was a strange affair with many breaks before Gauff was two games ahead and seemingly closer to the final, but her service problems let Sabalenka back in.

Sabalenka won seven games in a row, closing out the second set and getting a break ahead in the third set, and although Gauff subsequently fought back to 4-4, she was broken again in the tenth game when Sabalenka converted her second match point.

Sabalenka had beaten Gauff in the pair's previous meeting, in the semifinals of the Australian Open in January, and won the tournament for the second time in a row.

Sinners in the Shanghai final; confirmed as year-end number 1

Meanwhile, in the first men's semi-final in Shanghai, world number 1 Jannik Sinner defeated Tomas Machac 6:4, 7:5 and will now face either Novak Djokovic or Taylor Fritz in the final on Sunday.

Machac had stunned Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals but was unable to pull off another upset despite defeating Sinner in the opening game of the match.

Sinner's victory guaranteed that he would end the year at the top of the rankings, becoming the first Italian to achieve this feat.

Afterwards he said: “It's something you dream about as a kid, when you're young, just getting to number 1. Now that the year is over, it’s also a different and special feeling.”

“It obviously means so much to me. This is something I couldn’t achieve without all the people around me – family and friends – and also a big thank you to my team.”

What's coming up on Sky Sports Tennis in October?

• Shanghai Masters – ATP 1000 (until October 13th)
• Wuhan Open – WTA 1000 (until October 13th)
• Almaty Open, Kazakhstan – ATP 250 (October 14-20)
• Stockholm Open, Sweden – ATP 250 (October 14-20)
• European Open, Antwerp – ATP 250 (October 14-20)
• Japan Open, Osaka – WTA 250 (October 14-20)
• Ningbo Open, China – WTA 500 (October 14-20)
• Erste Bank Open, Vienna – ATP 500 (October 21-27)
• Swiss Indoors, Basel – ATP 500 (October 21-27)
• Guangzhou Open, China – WTA 250 (October 21-27)
• Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis, Tokyo – WTA 500 (October 21-27)

Fabio Wardley's big rematch with British heavyweight rival Frazer Clarke can be seen live on Saturday in the epic Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol Sky Sports box office. Book now!