Aryna Sabalenka faced a surprising second-round exit at the Wuhan Open, marking her second consecutive defeat for the first time in 18 months. The world No. 2 battled hard but ultimately lost to unseeded Ann Li with a score of 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5), despite saving nine match points.

This match represented the biggest victory of Li's career, showcasing her resilience as she rallied from being down 4-2 in the second set to push the match to a deciding set. Sabalenka, a three-time champion in Wuhan, struggled significantly, committing 44 unforced errors compared to Li’s 28.

In the final set, Sabalenka fell behind 4-1 and even took a medical timeout but managed to break back and hold serve, saving five match points along the way to lead 5-3. However, her inconsistency ultimately cost her the match after a grueling two-and-a-half hours.

This defeat adds to a disappointing season for the four-time grand slam champion, who has not secured a title since her victories in Indian Wells and Miami in March. She also lost the US Open final and the world No. 1 ranking to Elena Rybakina last month, marking her first year without a major title since 2022.

In another early exit, second seed and last year's runner-up Jessica Pegula also fell victim to an upset, losing to former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko with a score of 2-6, 7-6(7), 6-3 after squandering three match points.