Aryna Sabalenka beats Alison Riske in WTA Wuhan final

Wuhan: Aryna Sabalenka became the first player to claim back-to-back titles in Wuhan thanks to a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory over American Alison Riske in the final on Saturday.

The 21-year-old improved her record at the event to a perfect 12-0 and joins Petra Kvitova as the only two-time Wuhan Open champions.

In a rematch of their final in Shenzhen last January, Sabalenka utilised her supreme power game once again to overcome Riske in 114 minutes in front of a 13,000-strong centre court crowd.

She unleashed 18 aces and won 79 per cent of her first-serve points.