Kiki Bertens defeated Bernarda Pera 3–6, 6–4, 6–2 in the first round of the WTA 1000 event in Wuhan on a hard court, confirming her status as the pre-match favourite. Bertens recovered from a sluggish opening set to dominate the latter stages, taking control in the second set before closing out the match decisively in the third. The Dutch player's ability to adjust tactically after dropping the first set proved decisive, as Pera found no answer to Bertens' improved rhythm and consistency. The result marks a solid start for Bertens at the Chinese Masters event and maintains her momentum heading into the latter stages of the season.