The Polish world No. 2 fell 1-6, 2-6 to the seventh-seeded Italian, who had never previously beaten the 24-year-old Pole.
Świątek, lacking her usual power, was ousted in just one hour and five minutes, Poland’s PAP news agency reported.
The Polish star, who won the Korea Open in Seoul last month, had been aiming for her 26th career singles title in Wuhan.
She was the last Polish player remaining in the 2025 Wuhan Open, which runs until Sunday.
In July, Świątek, a former world No. 1, won her first Wimbledon title with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over American Amanda Anisimova.
(gs)
Source: IAR, PAP