Gauff Triumphs in All-American Wuhan Final, Claims Third WTA 1000 Title
Wuhan, China — Coco Gauff wrapped up the Asian swing in sensational style on Sunday, defeating fellow American and former doubles partner Jessica Pegula in a gripping, all-American final to capture the singles title at the Dongfeng · Voyah Wuhan Open. The World No. 3, who had an outstanding run through the final WTA 1000 event of the 2025 season, prevailed with a straight-sets victory, 6–4, 7–5, to secure her third career WTA 1000 title.
The final marked Gauff’s second singles trophy of the year, following her triumph at the French Open earlier in the season. At just 21 years old, the victory in Wuhan pushes her career total to eleven WTA Tour singles titles. Notably, Gauff’s championship run saw her navigate the entire tournament without dropping a single set.
The final itself, the first time the two friends and Olympic doubles partners had met in a singles championship match, was a fiercely competitive affair. While Gauff claimed the first set 6-4, the second set intensified when the sixth-seeded Pegula mounted a determined challenge, racing to a 3-0 lead. Undeterred, Gauff demonstrated remarkable composure and maturity, breaking back and reeling off four straight games to level the score. She broke Pegula’s serve again in the crucial late stages, securing the 7-5 win on her first match point with a decisive forehand winner.
End of an Era, Rise of a Reign
The 2025 Wuhan Open will be remembered as the tournament of milestones and streaks, most notably the end of one record and the confirmation of another.
Sabalenka’s Wuhan Reign Ends
The tournament saw the stunning defeat of three-time defending champion and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. The Belarusian powerhouse, who had been unbeaten in Wuhan since her tournament debut in 2018, saw her remarkable 20-match win streak at the event emphatically snapped by Jessica Pegula in a dramatic three-set semi-final battle. Pegula’s gritty 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) victory in the penultimate round set the stage for the all-American final.
Sabalenka Clinches Year-End No. 1
Despite her semi-final loss, Sabalenka’s performance in Wuhan was sufficient to claim the year-end world No. 1 ranking for the second year in a row. Her consistency throughout the 2025 season, which included reaching three Grand Slam finals and securing four titles, proved enough to hold off her nearest rival, Iga Świątek. Świątek had exited the tournament in the quarterfinals after a surprising loss to Jasmine Paolini. Sabalenka’s confirmed year-end No. 1 status underscores her dominant form over the past two years.
Alexandrova’s Top 10 Debut
Another significant development from the tournament’s conclusion was the breakthrough of Ekaterina Alexandrova into the WTA Top 10 rankings. Her deep run at the event was enough to propel her into the elite ranking echelon. By achieving this milestone just a month shy of her 31st birthday, Alexandrova became the third-oldest woman in WTA history to make her debut in the Top 10. This record highlights the Russian’s perseverance in the later stages of her career, culminating a season where she surpassed 40 match wins and showcased her prowess across all court surfaces.
This was also the first edition of the Wuhan Open where all four singles semi-finalists were ranked in the Top 10 of the WTA rankings, showcasing the high level of competition at this year’s event.
Doubles: Hunter and Siniaková Claim Title
The doubles competition in Wuhan also concluded with an impressive performance, as the reunited duo of Storm Hunter (Australia) and Kateřina Siniaková (Czech Republic) claimed the title.
The pair defeated the eighth-seeded team of defending champion Anna Danilina (Kazakhstan) and her partner Aleksandra Krunić (Serbia) in a straightforward final, 6–3, 6–2. Hunter and Siniaková dominated the 69-minute match, particularly in the second set where they stormed back from a 0-2 deficit to win the next six games in a row.
- A Triumphant Return: For Storm Hunter, the victory was particularly emotional, marking her first title since returning to the Hologic WTA Tour after a serious Achilles surgery. The win is the ninth WTA doubles title of her career.
- Doubles No. 1 Secured: For Kateřina Siniaková, the title reinforced her standing as the WTA World No. 1 doubles player. By reaching the semi-finals, Siniaková secured her retention of the top ranking, extending her lead over her closest rival, Taylor Townsend. The Wuhan title is Siniaková’s 32nd overall and her third WTA 1000 title of the season.
The defending doubles champions, Anna Danilina and Irina Khromacheva, chose not to compete together in 2025. Khromacheva, partnering with Aldila Sutjiadi, was defeated in the first round by the team of Leylah Fernandez and Erin Routliffe.
The Dongfeng · Voyah Wuhan Open 2025 delivered on its promise of world-class tennis, cementing Gauff’s hard-court dominance and providing a dramatic conclusion to the WTA’s Asian swing as the tour now looks ahead to the year-end WTA Finals in Riyadh.
