In a surprising turn of events at the China Open in Beijing, world number two Aryna Sabalenka was eliminated just a day after the tournament’s top seed, world number one Elena Rybakina, suffered a shock defeat. The Belarusian, who entered the event with high expectations, was outplayed by 20‑year‑old Czech hopeful Nikola Bartunkova, who secured a straight‑sets victory of 6-4, 6-3. This result means that both of the tournament’s highest‑ranked players have now been knocked out in the opening week, leaving the draw wide open for other contenders. Rybakina’s loss on Saturday set the stage for a dramatic second day, and Sabalenka’s exit added to the growing list of upsets.
The 28‑year‑old Belarusian, who had been denied a three‑peat at the US Open by Rybakina just a month earlier, struggled from the start. She squandered five break‑point chances in the first set and was unable to find a rhythm with her serve, a problem that has haunted her throughout the week in Beijing. Despite her powerful baseline game and previous successes at Grand Slam events, Sabalenka has never advanced beyond the quarter‑finals at this particular WTA 1000 tournament, and her early departure underscores the difficulty she has faced on the hard courts of the capital.
Bartunkova, seeded 26th, will now move on to face Austria’s 24‑year‑old Sinja Kraus, who herself posted a convincing 6-1, 6-4 win over Dayana Yastremska earlier on Sunday. The Czech teenager’s performance has drawn attention, as she demonstrated poise and tactical awareness beyond her years, capitalising on Sabalenka’s service woes and converting crucial points at key moments.
Bartunkova’s aggressive groundstrokes and precise placement forced the Belarusian to make uncharacteristic errors, ultimately sealing the upset. In other sections of the draw, fifth seed Mirra Andreeva cruised into the fourth round with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Polina Kudermetova.
The Russian prodigy displayed a dominant serve, firing six aces and converting five of seven break‑point opportunities, wrapping up the match in just 68 minutes. Her swift progression adds another storyline to a tournament that is rapidly shedding its top seeds. On the men’s side, top‑seeded Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the semi‑finals of the Japan Open after his opponent, Canada’s Denis Shapovalov, was forced to retire due to a hip injury. Alcaraz, who has been making a strong comeback after a four‑month layoff caused by a wrist injury, was leading 7-6 (7-4), 2-1 when Shapovalov withdrew.
Despite dropping his serve three times in the opening set, Alcaraz expressed satisfaction with his resilience, noting, "It was a little bit frustrating with my serve. I couldn't find a good way of serving: I was struggling almost every game on serve.
But I'm just happy with the way I came back after every break. It was a great first set: great points, great rallies." Alcaraz also acknowledged the bittersweet nature of progressing under such circumstances, saying, "It's a shame that he had to pull out.
Going through to a semi‑final like this is not the way I wanted, but sometimes sports are tough. You have to accept it. Hopefully he's going to be able to play in Shanghai healthy." He will now meet compatriot Jaume Munar in the semi‑finals after Munar dispatched France’s Kyrian Jacquet 6-4, 6-2. The early exits of both Rybakina and Sabalenka have reshaped the competitive landscape of the China Open, providing opportunities for lower‑ranked players to make deep runs.
Analysts point out that the hard‑court conditions in Beijing, combined with the fatigue from a grueling season, may have contributed to the unexpected results. Players like Bartunkova and Andreeva are now poised to capitalize on the vacuum left by the top seeds, potentially reshaping the rankings and earning valuable points toward the year‑end championships.
For fans eager to follow the ongoing action, live streams are available on NOW and the Sky Sports App, offering coverage of both the WTA and ATP events, including the China Open and the upcoming Shanghai Masters. The tournament continues to deliver high‑quality tennis despite the setbacks of its marquee players, reminding spectators that in sport, anything can happen on any given day.