Aryna Sabalenka extended her unbeaten run at the Wuhan Open to 20 matches with a straight-sets victory over Elena Rybakina on Friday.

The world No 1 beat Rybakina 6-3 6-3 to keep her hopes alive for a fourth straight title and set up a semi-final match with America's Jessica Pegula.

It is Sabalenka's 11th semi-final of the year out of the 15 tournaments she has played in, as she broke Rybakina in the eighth game with a forehand winner.

Sabalenka clinched the opening set with a hold and broke Rybakina's serve in the first game of the next set to continue putting pressure on her opponent.

"That sounds crazy. I never thought that I'd be able to achieve something like that," Sabalenka said about booking her 11th semi-final this year.

"I'll keep focusing and keep improving my game and see how far I can get. We have a really huge history and always tough battles. I always enjoy playing her, she always pushes me to the next level.

"I think today I put so much pressure on her serve and I was serving quite well. Overall, I think it was a very high level match and I'm super happy with the win."

The top seed struggled with a few service games later on, but still managed to close out the victory and improved her win-loss record against Rybakina to 8-5.

Sabalenka won the Wuhan title in 2018, 2019, and 2024 after the tournament made a return following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pegula came from behind to beat Czech Katerina Siniakova 2-6 6-0 6-3 for her 50th match win of the season as she aims to qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals next month.

Sabalenka has won eight of her 10 meetings with Pegula, including in the US Open final last year.

Third seed Coco Gauff is on a confidence-boosting run after her serving struggles and is also booked her place in the last four, although she hit six more double faults in a 6-3 6-0 victory over German veteran Laura Siegemund.

Second seed Iga Swiatek comes up against seventh seed Jasmine Paolini in a rematch of their 2024 French Open final later on Friday.

In the men's Masters event in Shanghai, France's Arthur Rinderknech reached his first ATP 1000 semi-final with a 6-3 6-4 victory over 12th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Rinderknech, whose scalps this week include world No 3 Alexander Zverev, will face Daniil Medvedev or Alex de Minaur in the semi-finals on Saturday.

The 30-year-old's cousin, qualifier Valentin Vacherot, will take on Novak Djokovic in the other semi-final, so Sunday's final could be a family affair.

Rinderknech said of Vacherot: "He was going through the emotions on Thursday and I am trying to follow and battle and do the same as him.

"The whole family is following from home. We are in our own little world here. It has been incredible and today was a good performance from myself."

Rinderknech has now recorded three top-20 wins in a row with his victories over Zverev and now Auger-Aliassime sandwiching success against 15h seed Jiri Lehecka.

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