Wuhan Open 2024 semifinal preview: Sabalenka and Gauff to renew rivalry as Zheng Qinwen seeks first WTA 1000 final

The Wuhan Open semifinals will take place on Saturday, October 11, as the finalists of the last WTA 1000 tournament of the year are determined. Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff will deliver a rematch of the 2023 US Open final in a highly anticipated clash, with both players arriving with top confidence.

On the other side, Zheng Qinwen continues her strong form and will face the tournament’s surprise contender, Xinyu Wang, in an all-Chinese semifinal, guaranteeing a local player in the final for the first time in the event's 7th edition.

Both players come into this match on hot streaks. Gauff, after some inconsistent months, has surged back with 10 consecutive wins since splitting from her coach, Brad Gilbert. She claimed her second WTA 1000 title at the China Open and has dropped only 12 games across six sets in Wuhan, defeating Viktoriya Tomova, Marta Kostyuk (13th seed), and Magda Linette.

Sabalenka, meanwhile, seems even more dominant, fresh off titles at the Cincinnati Open and US Open, winning 18 of her last 19 matches. The 3-time Grand Slam champion has extended her unbeaten streak in Wuhan to 15 matches, seeking her third title in the city.

This will be their 8th meeting, with Gauff leading 4-3. In three of their previous matches, the winner went on to claim the tournament title, including their most recent duels at the Australian Open (semifinals) and the US Open (final). Sabalenka remains in pursuit of finishing the year as world No. 1, and a victory here would bring her just 70 points behind Iga Swiatek.

It’s no longer surprising that Zheng Qinwen is ready to compete for the biggest titles. Her run to the Australian Open final earlier this year solidified her in the top 10, and the past few months have been the most successful of her career, with a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and 23 wins in her last 26 matches. Zheng is once again thrilling the local fans by reaching the semifinals, just like at the WTA 1000 China Open last week, where she lost to Karolina Muchova.

However, this time she faces a surprising opponent in Xinyu Wang (world No. 51), a 23-year-old from the new generation of Chinese players. Wang has earned her place in the final four, having defeated 2nd seed Jessica Pegula in straight sets (6-3, 7-5) and survived a tough battle against Ekaterina Alexandrova, winning 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(6).

The two Chinese players have never faced each other, and Zheng enters as the heavy favorite. However, last week the pressure seemed to weigh on her against Muchova, and it remains to be seen if she can take the next step to reach her first WTA 1000 final, edging closer to qualifying for the WTA Finals.