Preview 2024 Wuhan Open Final: In-form Sabalenka takes on Zheng in highly anticipated showdown

Aryna Sabalenka and Zheng Qinwen are perhaps the most in-form players at the moment, and they will face off in the Wuhan Open final. Both players completed their mission in the semifinals and will meet for the 4th time, in a rematch of the Australian Open final from earlier this year.

So far, the Belarusian dominates the head-to-head 3-0, with all matches taking place in Grand Slam tournaments. This time, it will be an ideal setting for Zheng, who can draw strength from the Chinese crowd, witnessing a local player in the Wuhan final for the first time.

Sabalenka has been unstoppable in recent weeks, winning 19 of her last 20 matches, including titles at the Cincinnati Open and US Open (where she precisely defeated Zheng in the quarterfinals). The Belarusian is pushing to reclaim the world No. 1 ranking at the end of the season, and another title would bring her within 70 points of current leader Iga Swiatek.

The 3-time Grand Slam champion has been consistent in Wuhan, where she has an unbeaten record of 16-0 and won the title in the last two editions held in 2018 and 2019. This week, she has defeated players like Yulia Putintseva, Magdalena Frech, and Coco Gauff, although she has had moments of inconsistency.

The world No. 2 gave up 5 breaks in her first 6 service games against the American, costing her the first set (1-6), and only her strong returning kept her in the match early in the second set. This was similar to her match against Putintseva in the Round of 16, where she lost five of her first seven service games and dropped the first set.

On the other side, Zheng remains inspired and has proven she has the tools to win major titles. In her first WTA 1000 final, she faces possibly the most challenging opponent in her young career: Sabalenka, who leads the head-to-head 3-0, with all matches ending in painful losses (twice in the quarterfinals of the US Open and in the Australian Open final earlier this year).

'Queenwen' has been effective with her serve, one of her main weapons, and she will need to maintain that efficiency if she wants to turn things around against Sabalenka. In their previous encounters, Zheng has only won 13 games compared to Sabalenka's 36. In all of them, the Chinese player struggled, especially with her second serve, while Sabalenka is perhaps the best player on tour at exploiting her opponents' second serves.

However, this is an ideal scenario for Zheng if she wants to secure her first victory in their rivalry. With the crowd on her side and full of confidence after winning the gold medal in Paris 2024, the 22-year-old Chinese star is ready to take the leap and claim the most important title of her career.