Sure-footed Sabalenka leaps to new heights of adulation

Her coach, Dmitry Tursunov, went so far as to claim the 6-footer "could be the person that changes the game, the way Serena (Williams) changed the game, or the way (Monica) Seles changed the game, or the way (Steffi) Graf changed the game".

Last year's victory in Wuhan, where Sabalenka dropped just one set before overpowering Anett Kontaveit in the final, added to the hype.

It's no surprise she's happy to be back in Hubei province as she builds towards the season-ending WTA Finals in Shenzhen next month.

"I like to play in China, and I'd like to play more events here if possible," said Sabalenka.

"For me, it's always nice to be here. I have a lot of fans here and they always support me. It's really cool to play in China, especially in Shenzhen to finish the season."

Sabalenka began her title defense in ruthless fashion on Sunday, blasting compatriot Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-1, 6-2 to set up a second-round meeting with American Danielle Collins, who battled past Venus Williams 7-5, 7-6(5).

"It was the first time I stepped on the court as a defending champion," said Sabalenka.

"It was a nice feeling. I remembered some matches from last year and some tough situations also.

"The feeling of winning the title was really nice. It actually helped me to bring my best today.

"Definitely I learned a lot this year. One of the important things is to play with freedom and be fearless.

"When it's a tough situation, just go for it. Don't be afraid of anything."