Jasmine Paolini needed to come from a set down against qualifier Yue Yuan to progress to the last 16 of the Wuhan Open on Wednesday (October 8).
In her first singles match since losing to eventual China Open champion Amanda Anisimova in Beijing, Paolini was put through her paces before sealing a 3-6 6-4 6-3 victory.
The Italian struggled in the opening set and conceded serve in the third game, with Yuan able to consolidate her advantage from there to go within one set of a huge upset.
Paolini was then forced to defend two break points in the second game of the following set, but she was able to regain her composure and finally found some form.
She crucially got the better of Yuan's serve in the ninth game of the second to force a decider, and from
there her experience told as she controlled the remainder of the match.
Paolini won five of the last six games, sealing her date with Clara Tauson in the next round after Yuan lashed a wild forehand wide of the left sideline on match point.
Never count her out @JasminePaolini | #WuhanOpen pic.twitter.com/wkzQRIHR1w
— wta (@WTA) October 8, 2025
Elsewhere in China, eighth seed Elena Rybakina needed just one hour and 23 minutes to dispatch Jaqueline Cristian in straight sets and book her place in the next round.
Rybakina registered a 6-4 6-3 triumph over Cristian, though the scoreline could have looked even more emphatic had she taken her chances throughout the encounter.
The former Wimbledon champion missed five of the seven break points she created, but it mattered little as she now prepares to face Linda Noskova, who stunned Naomi Osaka earlier in the day.
Data Debrief: Paolini powers through
Paolini's comeback heroics against Yuan saw her register her 24th win in WTA-1000 matches in 2025. Only Iga Swiatek (27) and Aryna Sabalenka (25) have managed more.
And including the Billie Jean King Cup, Paolini is the player with the most wins on Chinese soil this season with seven, surpassing China Open champion Anisimova.
She is also the first Italian player to make the round of 16 in multiple seasons (2024 and 2025) at the Wuhan Open since the tournament's inception in 2014.
