Aryna Sabalenka overcame a rusty start in Wuhan as she fought back to beat Rebecca Sramkova in her first appearance since winning the US Open.
The world number one secured her first Grand Slam trophy of the year in New York, retaining her title as she defeated Amanda Anisimova in the final.
But in her first match for over a month, Sabalenka’s game was initially riddled with errors and she struggled with the power of Slovakia’s Sramkova, ranked 68th in the world.
However, after losing the first set she settled into her game in the second set before steamrolling through the third to wrap up a 4-6 6-3 6-1 victory.
“I knew it would be not easy after the break [following the US Open] to get into my rhythm but I am glad in the second set I found my game, I stepped in and I played really great,” Sabalenka said.
“I have to say she played incredible tennis, especially in the first set and there was not much I could do.”
Sabalenka is the three-time defending champion in Wuhan, having won in 2018 and 2019, and again in 2024 following the tournament’s three-year hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Asked what it was like to be nicknamed the “Daughter of Wuhan”, Sabalenka replied: “First I was ‘Daughter of China’, then ‘Queen of Fried Rice’ [a nickname she says is in honour of her love of the dish].
“And then I talked to [China’s world number 10 Zheng] Qinwen and they actually call me ‘Tiger’. So many nicknames.
“I won so many tournaments here and it feels like home, I hope I can go all the way.”
Given a bye to the second round, Sabalenka cut a frustrated figure as she struggled with her serve, with a handful of double faults handing Sramkova an early break.
The Slovak played Sabalenka at her own game, beating the top seed with deep, aggressive hitting to the baseline and huge serves as she took the opener 6-4.
But Sabalenka eventually regained some rhythm to strike first in the second set and she fended off several break points to open up a 5-2 lead on her way to forcing a decider.
With more momentum behind her, the four-time major champion took control in the third set, breaking twice and saving four more break points at 5-1 before securing the victory with another break of serve.
Sabalenka will face Liudmila Samsonova after the Russian beat former Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin 3-6 6-3 6-1.
Earlier, Coco Gauff breezed into the third round with a 51-minute win against Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima, who won just five points on the American third seed’s serve.
Sixth seed Jessica Pegula avoided an upset in the second round, winning 6-4 4-6 7-6 (8-6) after converting her seventh match point in a gruelling two hour and 55 minute encounter with fellow American and world number 55 Hailey Baptiste.
Pegula will face Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova next, while Gauff will play Shuai Zhang, the world number 142 who beat Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.
Japan’s four-time major winner Naomi Osaka lost 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 to Czech Linda Noskova, the world number 17 who is continuing her fine run of form during the Asian swing after reaching the final of the China Open earlier this month.
Meanwhile, the heat and humidity continued to cause problems for some players, with Czech 12th seed Karolina Muchova forced to retire while trailing 7-6 (7-1) 4-1 to Poland’s Magdalena Frech.
