Aryna Sabalenka stretched her unbeaten run at the Wuhan Open to 20 matches after defeating Elena Rybakina in straight sets during Friday’s quarter-finals.

The world number one and three-time defending champion posted a 6-3 6-3 victory over the eighth-seeded Rybakina.

Sabalenka took control midway through the opening set, where she broke serve, and did not look back, reeling off three consecutive games to clinch the first.

While the US Open champion broke immediately in the second, Rybakina did look to mount somewhat of a comeback, as she too, secured a break. 

However, Sabalenka proved too strong, translating her grand slam-winning form, seeing her go 4-1 up, before closing out the match. 

Top seed Sabalenka, will next face American Jessica Pegula in Saturday’s semi-final. Pegula, 31, battled back from a set down to beat Czechia's Katerina Siniakova 2-6 6-0 6-3.

20 - Aryna Sabalenka (20-0 in Wuhan Open) is the 4th player to win their 1st 20 main draw matches in a single WTA level event since 1990 after Seles at the Australian Open (33-0), Graf in Leipzig (25-0) & Wozniacki in New Haven (20-0). Own. #WuhanOpen | @wuhanopentennis @WTA pic.twitter.com/IlYP3iXbTM

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) October 10, 2025

Data Debrief: Sabalenka extends unbeaten record

Despite a few late service errors, Sabalenka closed out the match comfortably to set up a meeting with Pegula, a player she has beaten in eight of their ten previous encounters.

Sabalenka has extended her perfect record at the Wuhan Open to 20–0, becoming only the fourth player since 1990 to win her first 20 main-draw matches at a single WTA event — joining Monica Seles at the Australian Open (33–0), Steffi Graf in Leipzig (25–0), and Caroline Wozniacki in New Haven (20–0).

Meanwhile, Pegula’s comeback win marked her 50th victory of the season and strengthened her bid to qualify for the upcoming WTA Finals. This is the second season after 2023 (59) in which she has managed over 50 wins.