Elena Rybakina’s first appearance as the newly crowned world No. 1 ended in a dramatic upset, as she was outplayed by the 118‑ranked Russian teenager Alina Charaeva at the China Open on Saturday afternoon. Rybakina had only a few weeks earlier secured the top spot in the WTA rankings by capturing her second Grand Slam title of 2026 at the US Open, but the momentum she had built was abruptly halted when she fell 6‑3, 4‑6, 3‑6 to the unseeded Charaeva.
Charaeva, who had never before faced an opponent inside the top‑20, displayed a fearless brand of tennis that caught the world‑number‑one off guard. Her aggressive baseline play, combined with a surprisingly mature tactical approach, allowed her to dictate the tempo from the first game.
After breaking Rybakina’s serve early in the opening set, Charaeva held her own against the Russian’s powerful serve, eventually taking the set 6‑3. Rybakina fought back in the second set, using her experience to edge a 4‑6 win, but the momentum had already shifted. In the decisive third set, Charaeva’s consistency and mental composure proved decisive as she closed out the match 6‑3, earning a spot in the round of 32 where she will meet Britain’s promising youngster Sonay Kartal.
"I don’t have words," Charaeva said in the post‑match interview, visibly overwhelmed by the result. "It’s incredible. Of course Elena is an amazing player who has been fantastic this season, winning two Grand Slams. For me it feels like a dream come true.
I just tried to stay mentally strong and keep believing I could turn the match around. Never stop believing, I guess!" The upset was one of several headline‑making moments from the day’s action across both the WTA and ATP tours. In Tokyo, Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz survived a nerve‑wracking first‑set tiebreak to advance to the quarter‑finals of the Japan Open. After dropping the opening set in a 7‑6 (8‑6) tiebreak against Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi, Alcaraz saved four set points and eventually turned the tide, winning the second set 6‑1.
He credited his victory to staying focused point by point and making tactical adjustments that paid off: "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 win set up a clash with world No. 46 Denis Shapovalov, who had dispatched Alejandro Tabilo 7‑5, 3‑6, 6‑4 earlier in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Czech contender Jiri Lehecka rallied from a set down to beat France’s Ugo Humbert 5‑7, 6‑4, 6‑4, earning a quarter‑final showdown with Adolfo Daniel Vallejo Alvarez, the player who eliminated Italy’s Matteo Berrettini. On the men’s side of the China Open, Alexander Zverev, the reigning US Open champion, breezed past Chinese wildcard Juncheng Shang with a 6‑0, 6‑3 victory, positioning himself for a high‑stakes quarter‑final against Novak Djokovic.
Zverev’s dominant performance underscored his intent to capitalize on the momentum from his Grand Slam triumph. Australian Alex de Minaur, who suffered a second‑round loss at the US Open, rebounded strongly by overcoming France’s Quentin Halys in three sets. The win secured him a quarter‑final berth against Russia’s Andrey Rublev.
Both players are locked in a fierce battle for valuable Race‑to‑Turin points as they vie for the remaining spots at the year‑end ATP Finals. Rublev, having survived a second‑set comeback from Roman Safiullin to win 6‑2, 3‑6, 6‑4, is eager to add another deep run to his résumé. Daniil Medvedev continued his impressive form by dispatching Jan‑Lennard Struff in straight sets, setting up a potential semifinal encounter with the winner of the Francisco Cerúndolo versus Jakub Mensik match. On the WTA side, former US Open champion Coco Gauff returned from a three‑week hiatus and booked her place in the third round of the China Open with a hard‑fought 7‑6(7‑4), 4‑6, 6‑2 victory over world No.
66 Camila Osorio. Gauff survived a tight first‑set tiebreak, stumbled in the second set after a late break at 4‑5, but recovered to dominate the final set, setting up a clash with China’s Xinran Sun. British player Harriet Dart started brightly against 10th‑seeded Iva Jovic, taking the first set 6‑2. However, she could not maintain the intensity and dropped the next two sets 3‑6, 3‑6, ending her run.
After a disappointing exit in the US Open round of 16, Iga Świątek returned to competition in Shanghai, delivering a commanding 6‑2, 6‑3 win over China’s Xinyu Gao. Świątek converted five break points and displayed the aggressive baseline game that has made her the dominant force on the tour. Elina Svitolina, fighting back from a set down, overcame Czech Katerina Siniakova 1‑6, 6‑4, 6‑2 to advance to the next round, showcasing her resilience and experience.
These matches highlight the depth and unpredictability of professional tennis this season. Upsets such as Charaeva’s victory over Rybakina remind fans that rankings are never a guarantee, while the continued success of established stars like Alcaraz, Zverev, and Świątek underscores the high level of competition across both tours. Viewers can follow live action on the Sky Sports app or NOW without a contract, ensuring fans worldwide can watch the ATP Japan Open, WTA/ATP China Open, and the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters as the season progresses.