Elena Rybakina’s first appearance as the world’s top‑ranked woman was abruptly halted by a remarkable upset at the China Open, where she fell to the 118th‑ranked Alina Charaeva in a three‑set battle, 6-3 4-6 3-6. The loss was especially shocking because Rybakina had just claimed the US Open crown a month earlier, securing her second Grand Slam title of 2026 and propelling her to the summit of the WTA rankings.
Yet the young Russian‑born Armenian, Charaeva, who had never before faced a player inside the top‑20, produced a performance that sent ripples through the tournament and set up a round‑of‑32 encounter with Britain’s rising talent Sonay Kartal. After the match, an astonished Charaeva could barely find words to describe what she had just achieved. "I don’t have words," she said, visibly overwhelmed. "It’s unbelievable – Elena is an incredible player, she’s been dominant this season, winning two Grand Slams.
For me it feels like a dream come true. I just tried to stay mentally strong and believed I could turn the match around.
Never stop believing, I guess!" Her comments captured both the humility of a newcomer and the confidence that carried her through the decisive moments. Rybakina’s defeat was a reminder that even the most dominant champions can be vulnerable on any given day.
After her US Open triumph, she entered the China Open with high expectations and a target on her back. The first set proceeded largely according to plan for the world No.1, who broke Charaeva early and built a comfortable lead before closing it out 6-3. However, the momentum shifted in the second set as Charaeva raised her level, extending rallies, varying her serve placement, and exploiting the occasional lapses in Rybakina’s footwork.
The Armenian’s aggressive baseline play forced a series of unforced errors from the Russian, and she captured the second set 6-4, leveling the match. The final set saw Charaeva maintain her aggressive posture, delivering powerful forehands and a surprisingly effective second serve that kept Rybakina on the defensive. A crucial break at 3-3 gave Charaeva the edge, and she held serve to close out the set 6-3, sealing a victory that will be remembered as one of the biggest upsets of the season.
Beyond the headline match, the China Open continued to deliver a full slate of compelling tennis. In Tokyo, Carlos Alcaraz survived a tense first‑set tiebreak against Matteo Arnaldi, edging it 7-6 (8-6) before cruising 6-1 in the second set to claim a spot in the Japan Open quarter‑finals.
Alcaraz, who saved four set points after trailing 2-5 in the tiebreak, said he focused on staying present "point after point" and adjusting his tactics mid‑match, which ultimately paid off. He will now face world No.46 Denis Shapovalov, who earned his quarter‑final berth by defeating Alejandro Tabilo 7-5 3-6 6-4. Other notable results from the week included Jiri Lehecka’s comeback win over Ugo Humbert (5-7 6-4 6-4) in Tokyo, setting up a quarter‑final clash with Adolfo Daniel Vallejo Alvarez, the player who eliminated Italy’s Matteo Berrettini. In Beijing, Alexander Zverev, fresh from his US Open triumph, breezed past wildcard Juncheng Shang 6-0 6-3, positioning himself for a high‑stakes quarter‑final showdown with Novak Djokovic.
Australian star Alex de Minaur also returned to winning form, overcoming France’s Quentin Halys in three sets to book a quarter‑final against Andrey Rublev. Both players are vying for valuable Race to Turin points as they chase the remaining slots for this year’s ATP Finals.
Rublev, meanwhile, secured his quarter‑final place by edging past Roman Safiullin 6-2 3-6 6-4 after a dramatic second‑set comeback. On the women’s side, Coco Gauff, after a three‑week break following her US Open semi‑final loss to Rybakina, rebounded with a gritty 7-6(7-4) 4-6 6-2 victory over world No.66 Camila Osorio. Gauff survived a tight first‑set tiebreak, dropped the second after a late break, but recovered to dominate the third, setting up a match against China’s Xinran Sun.
Britain’s Harriet Dart started brightly against 10th seed Iva Jovic, taking the opening set before fatigue set in, leading to a 2-6 6-3 6-3 defeat. In another impressive display, Iga Swiatek, returning from a US Open round‑of‑16 exit, dispatched China’s Xinyu Gao 6-2 6-3, converting five break points and showcasing the aggressive baseline game that has defined her recent dominance. Elina Svitolina also demonstrated resilience, rallying from a set down to defeat Czech Katerina Siniakova 1-6 6-4 6-2, securing her place in the next round.
The tournament’s diverse storylines—upsets, comebacks, and emerging talents—highlight the depth of today’s professional tennis landscape. Fans can stream the ongoing action without a contract via NOW 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 blend of established champions and hungry newcomers continues to make each match a compelling narrative, reminding viewers that in tennis, no result is ever guaranteed and every point can rewrite history.