Clutching her racquet bag, Aryna Sabalenka struck a playful pose among pine trees, captioning it “Work life balance” with a smiling emoji. Her Instagram overflowed with glimpses of off-court life: Mediterranean escapes, gym sessions with her team, and sweeping shots of a Greek resort. Fresh off her second consecutive US Open title, the World No. 1 balanced business with leisure while most of her WTA peers battled in Beijing. Nursing a “minor injury” from New York, Sabalenka had withdrawn from the opener. Yet, with her Greek getaway behind her, she returned to Wuhan with fire in her eyes, achieving a historic win that even Serena Williams never managed.

Returning to action for the first time since claiming her fourth Grand Slam, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka took a set to find he

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