Elena Rybakina’s first appearance as the newly crowned world No. 1 ended in a stunning upset, as she was outplayed by Alina Charaeva, who is ranked No.
118 in the world. The loss came at the China Open on Saturday afternoon and marked a dramatic reversal of fortunes for the Kazakhstani star, who had just secured the top spot in the rankings after clinching her second Grand Slam title of 2026 at the US Open. Rybakina entered the tournament riding a wave of confidence.
Her triumph at Flushing Meadows had propelled her to the summit of the WTA rankings, and expectations were sky‑high for her debut match in Beijing. Yet the 21‑year‑old from Kazakhstan was unable to find her rhythm against the unheralded Armenian teenager, Alina Charaeva, who had never before faced a player inside the top‑20.
Charaeva’s fearless play and relentless aggression caught the world‑number‑one off‑balance, and the final scoreline read 6‑3, 4‑6, 6‑3 in favour of the underdog. The victory was a career‑defining moment for Charaeva.
After the match she was visibly emotional, saying, "I don’t have words. This is incredible. Of course Elena is an amazing player who is doing really good this season winning two Grand Slams. For me it’s just a dream come true.
I just tried to stay hard mentally and keep believing I could turn around the game to my side. Never stop believing, I guess!" Her comments underscored the mental resilience required to topple a player of Rybakina’s calibre, especially given the pressure of a first‑round encounter against the top seed. Charaeva’s win sets up a round‑of‑32 clash with Britain’s rising talent Sonay Kartal, offering the Armenian a chance to continue her fairy‑tale run. Meanwhile, Rybakina’s early exit will undoubtedly prompt her team to reassess preparation and strategy as she looks ahead to the remainder of the Asian swing and the upcoming hard‑court season.
In other news from the Asian circuit, Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz fought his way through a tense first‑set tiebreak to secure a place in the Japan Open quarter‑finals. Alcaraz edged Matteo Arnaldi 7‑6 (8‑6), 6‑1 after saving four set points in the opening breaker and then dominating the second set with two service breaks.
The world No. 3 explained his approach, stating, "I just tried to stay there, point after point. I changed how I played until that moment and it worked out. I'm just happy I got that first set.
Matteo was playing great." Alcaraz’s victory sets up a showdown with world No. 46 Denis Shapovalov, who advanced after a three‑set win over Alejandro Tabilo (7‑5, 3‑6, 6‑4) in Tokyo. The upcoming match promises an intriguing clash of styles, with Shapovalov’s aggressive baseline play pitted against Alcaraz’s relentless speed and tactical versatility. Further action in Tokyo saw Czech Jiri Lehecka rally from a set down to defeat France’s Ugo Humbert 5‑7, 6‑4, 6‑4, earning a quarter‑final berth against Adolfo Daniel Vallejo Alvarez, the player who eliminated Italy’s Matteo Berrettini earlier in the day.
The tournament continues to produce a mix of seasoned veterans and hungry newcomers, each vying for valuable ranking points and momentum heading into the latter half of the season. At the China Open, German powerhouse Alexander Zverev, fresh off his US Open triumph, breezed through wildcard Juncheng Shang with a 6‑0, 6‑3 victory, setting up a blockbuster quarter‑final against Novak Djokovic. The potential meeting of two of the sport’s biggest names adds a high‑stakes narrative to the event and promises a marquee clash for fans worldwide. Australian Alex de Minaur, who suffered an early exit at the US Open, rebounded with a three‑set win over France’s Quentin Halys (6‑3, 3‑6, 6‑4).
His victory positions him against Andrey Rublev in the quarter‑finals, a match that carries additional significance as both players chase crucial points in the Race to Turin, aiming to secure one of the coveted spots at the year‑end ATP Finals. Rublev, meanwhile, demonstrated his fighting spirit by overcoming a second‑set surge from Roman Safiullin, prevailing 6‑2, 3‑6, 6‑4. His win ensures a place in the next round and keeps his momentum alive as the ATP tour moves deeper into the Asian swing.
On the men’s side, Daniil Medvedev delivered a textbook straight‑sets performance against Jan‑Lennard Struff, winning 6‑4, 6‑4 and advancing to face the winner of the Francisco Cerúndolo versus Jakub Mensik encounter. Medvedev’s consistency continues to make him a formidable contender in any draw.
The women’s draw also featured notable storylines. After a three‑week hiatus following her semi‑final loss to Rybakina at the US Open, American star Coco Gauff returned to competition at the China Open. Gauff fought back from a set down to defeat world No.
66 Camila Osorio 7‑6(7‑4), 4‑6, 6‑2, securing a place in the third round. Her resilience was evident as she weathered a tight first‑set tiebreak and then rebounded after dropping the second set, ultimately prevailing in the decisive third. Gauff’s next opponent will be China’s Xinran Sun, offering the home crowd a chance to see their representative challenge a top‑tier player. In another match, Britain’s Harriet Dart started brightly against 10th seed Iva Jovic, taking the opening set before losing momentum and eventually falling 2‑6, 6‑3, 6‑3.
Polish star Iga Świątek, fresh from a US Open round‑of‑16 exit, returned to action with a dominant display against China’s Xinyu Gao, converting five break points to win 6‑2, 6‑3. Świątek’s aggressive baseline play and precise shot selection left little room for her opponent, reaffirming her status as a leading contender on the tour. Meanwhile, former world No.
3 Elina Svitolina battled back from a set down to overcome Czech Katerina Siniakova 1‑6, 6‑4, 6‑2, securing her progression to the next round. Svitolina’s comeback highlighted her experience and mental toughness, traits that have served her well throughout a career marked by resilience.
Fans can stream all these matches and more without a contract on the NOW platform or the Sky Sports app, which carry live coverage of the ATP Japan Open, the WTA/ATP China Open, and the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters. The Asian swing continues to deliver high‑quality tennis, surprising upsets, and compelling narratives as players vie for ranking points, confidence, and a place in the season‑ending championships.