Ann Li beats Sabalenka on tenth match point to reach Wuhan last 16

Ann Li eliminated top seed Aryna Sabalenka from the Wuhan Open on Wednesday, recovering from a set down to win 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) and advance to the round of 16. The WTA's match record lists a contest lasting two hours and 27 minutes, with Li taking the deciding tiebreak 7-5.

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The finish came only after repeated opportunities had escaped the American. According to Richard Pagliaro's report for Tennis Now, Li led the final set 5-2 before Sabalenka began her recovery. Sabalenka saved five match points while serving at 2-5, broke Li in the following game and then survived two more match points to draw level at 5-5.

Li built another advantage in the tiebreak, moving ahead 6-3. Sabalenka erased two further match points, but Li converted her tenth opportunity with a forehand down the line. In her on-court interview, reported by Tennis Now, Li acknowledged both her missed chances and Sabalenka's play under pressure, saying she had tried to remain aggressive and concentrate on each point.

The match statistics published by Tennis.com show both players breaking serve four times, although Li created 17 break-point opportunities to Sabalenka's eight. Li served eight aces and committed four double faults, compared with two aces and six double faults from Sabalenka. Li also won 70 percent of points behind her first serve, while Sabalenka won 67 percent, leaving the American ahead on that measure as well.

Tennis Now described the result as Li's biggest victory by opponent ranking and her third career win over a top-10 player. It was her second such success this season, following Iga Swiatek's retirement from their Madrid meeting. Li's first top-10 victory had come against Anett Kontaveit in Miami in 2022.

Li next faces Janice Tjen for a place in the quarterfinals. The WTA's score page records Tjen's 7-5, 6-3 victory over Daria Snigur in the same round. Wednesday's result also reversed the outcome of Li's earlier meeting with Sabalenka this season: Tennis.com's head-to-head record lists Sabalenka as a straight-sets winner in Miami.