Li Needs 10 Match Points to Topple Sabalenka in Wuhan

Ann Li broke Aryna Sabalenka’s hold on Wuhan on Wednesday, and it took her 10 match points. The American beat the top seed 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) in the second round, sealing it with a forehand winner after two hours, 27 minutes. Sabalenka, a three-time champion who had reached the semifinals on every previous visit, will miss the last four for the first time.

For a set and a half, the match belonged to Sabalenka. She closed the first set with eight straight points and led 4-2 in the second before Li won nine of the next 11 games to level the match and go up 5-2 in the third. Sabalenka had a trainer retape her right leg midway through that set, but she was far from finished. She saved five match points while holding for 5-3, two more while breaking back to 5-5 and two in the tiebreak. Li won it on her 10th.