‘My rivalry with Iga is good for our sport’

Aryna Sabalenka returns to Katerina Siniakova during their match in Wuhan yesterday. Pic/AFP

World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka said on Wednesday she believes her rivalry with top-ranked Iga Swiatek is "much-needed" in women's tennis.

The Belarusian advanced to the Wuhan Open third round by beating Katerina Siniakova 6-4, 6-4, her 50th victory of the season.

Swiatek is absent from the field in Wuhan and withdrew from the China swing after splitting with her coach of three years Tomasz Wiktorowski.

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Iga Swiatek

Sabalenka has a chance to close the gap on the Polish World No. 1 with a strong run in Wuhan, with the battle for the top spot likely to come down to the wire at the season-ending championships in Riyadh next month.

"Having this rivalry with Iga is something big for tennis and something much-needed, I would say, in women's tennis," said Sabalenka, who will face Yulia Putintseva in the last 16.

"To keep this competition going would be really good for tennis," she said. Sabalenka, 26, spent eight weeks at the summit of the rankings last season and says reclaiming the World No. 1 spot is one of her biggest goals. "I hope she'll figure out the coach situation and she'll be back in the finals in her best shape," she said.

"Hopefully, we can play against each other there in... a fight for World No. 1," she added. Coco Gauff followed up her China Open title in Beijing on Sunday with a smooth 6-1, 6-2 win over Viktoriya Tomova. Gauff has a seven-match winning streak and faces 13th seed Marta Kostyuk in the last 16. Kostyuk received a walkover after her opponent Amanda Anisimova withdrew with a left hip injury. "Both mentally and physically I'm a little tired, if I'm being honest," said Gauff.

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