Sabalenka extends Wuhan winning streak to 20 matches, Gauff also advances to semifinals

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WUHAN, China (AP) — Aryna Sabalenka extended her winning streak at Wuhan to 20 matches with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over eighth-seeded Elena Rybakina on Friday to reach the semifinals of the WTA 1000-level tournament.

The U.S. Open champion won the Wuhan Open title in 2018, ’19 and again last year on her return to the Chinese city.

Top-ranked Sabalenka broke Rybakina's serve three times in the 1-hour, 25-minute match to advance into the semifinals for the 11th time this season, and then waved and blew kisses to the crowd.

It was also comfortable for third-seeded Coco Gauff, who cruised into a second straight semifinal with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Laura Siegemund.

The American lost to eventual champion Amanda Anisimova in the final four at the China Open last week.

Gauff will next face either No. 2-ranked Iga Swiatek or Jasmine Paolini, who were playing in the late match.

Sabalenka will play sixth-seeded Jessica Pegula, who earlier Friday went to a third set for a seventh consecutive match. She dropped the first set against Katerina Siniakova before reeling through the next two for a 2-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory.

Pegula is coming off wins over No. 9 Ekaterina Alexandrova and fellow American Hailey Baptiste, when she needed seven match points to clinch the win.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis