"I'm really glad I lost" - Aryna Sabalenka reveals defining Coco Gauff moment that helped her win Wuhan Open against Zheng Qinwen

Aryna Sabalenka recently reflected on her 2024 Wuhan Open final victory against Zheng QInwen. She also pointed at Coco Gauff’s previous win against her which served as a learning moment.

Sabalenka, who won the previous two Wuhan Open editions (2018, 2019), completed her three-peat on Sunday, October 13, beating home favorite Zheng 6-3, 5-7, 6-3. The pair played in front of a packed crowd, who were cheering on their countrywoman as she aimed to clinch her maiden WTA 1000 title.

Despite the overwhelming support for her opponent, Aryna Sabalenka remained poised throughout the contest. Shedding light on her mindset in the post-match press conference, the World No. 2 said:

"I'm not really focusing on the crowd when they're against me anymore. I don't really hear them."

"I'm just focusing on myself and my team. I'm trying to stay focused and keep thinking what I have to do on court, like just thinking about tactic, technical issues. Yeah, that's it," she continued.

Interestingly, Sabalenka, the reigning US Open champion, faced a similar situation during her 2023 US Open final against eventual winner Coco Gauff. The American, who enjoyed immense support from the home crowd, staged a comeback from a set down to clinch her maiden Grand Slam.

Earlier this year, Aryna Sabalenka called out the “annoying” American crowd for “screaming” during points. She, however, made sure that she didn’t repeat the outcome when she took on yet another American, Jessica Pegula, in this year’s final in New York.

"I think that match against Coco last year gave me a lot. I'm actually really glad I lost that match because I think it was better for me," Aryna Sabalenka said after overcoming Zheng Qinwen and her local supporters in Wuhan.

"I learned a lot. Right now if crowd is against me, I'm okay with that. I don't really hear them. I'm focusing on different things, yeah," she reiterated.

---

Aryna Sabalenka beat Coco Gauff before Wuhan Open 2024 final against Zheng Qinwen

Aryna Sabalenka (R) pictured with Coco Gauff at the 2024 Wuhan Open - Image Source: Getty

En route to her seventh career WTA 1000 title at the 2024 Wuhan Open, Aryna Sabalenka beat the likes of Katerina Siniakova, Yulia Putintseva, and Magdalena Frech. She then dismissed Coco Gauff in the semifinal with a stellar 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 comeback.

In doing so, the 26-year-old snapped Gauff’s nine-match winning streak. The American, who enjoyed a successful Asian swing, clinched her career’s eighth title at the WTA 1000 China Open in Beijing before her campaign in Wuhan.

Sabalenka and Gauff will now set their sights on the 2024 WTA Finals in Riyadh (November 4–9). Both players are in pursuit of their maiden title at the event. The former is also vying for her first-ever year-end World No. 1 finish.