In a surprising turn of events at the Beijing WTA 1000 tournament, world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka was eliminated on Sunday, just a day after fellow top seed world No. 1 Elena Rybakina suffered a shock defeat.
The Belarusian, who entered the event with high expectations, fell to Czech teenager Nikola Bartúková, a 20-year-old who is currently seeded 26th, with a straight‑sets score of 6-4, 6-3. This result leaves the China Open without its two highest‑ranked players in the opening week, dramatically opening the draw for lower‑ranked competitors. Rybakina's exit on Saturday had already sent ripples through the tournament, and Sabalenka's loss reinforced the notion that the Beijing event has become a testing ground for even the most elite players. Both athletes have been in the spotlight recently: Rybakina denied Sabalenka a three‑peat at the US Open earlier this year, and Sabalenka herself has struggled to find consistency in Beijing, a venue where she has never advanced beyond the quarter‑finals.
The match against Bartúková highlighted Sabalenka's ongoing serving woes. She squandered five break‑point opportunities in the first set and was unable to establish a rhythm with her serve, a problem she acknowledged after the match. "I was having trouble finding a good serve pattern," Sabalenka said. "It felt like I was fighting on every point, especially on my service games." Her frustration was evident as she dropped serve three times in the opening set, ultimately allowing the young Czech to seize control.
Bartúková, meanwhile, displayed poise beyond her years. The 20‑year‑old, who has already recorded a few notable upsets this season, used her aggressive baseline game to dictate play, breaking Sabalenka twice and holding her own serve comfortably.
With this victory, Bartúková will meet Austria's 24‑year‑old Sinja Kraus in the next round. Kraus earned her spot by defeating Dayana Yastremska 6-1, 6-4 earlier on Sunday, adding another promising youngster to the mix. Other notable results from the day included fifth‑seed Mirra Andreeva cruising into the fourth round with a dominant 6-4, 6-1 win over Polina Kudermetova.
Andreeva, the rising Russian talent, fired six aces and converted five of seven break‑point chances, wrapping up the match in just 68 minutes. Her performance underscored the depth of the women's field and hinted at a possible breakthrough in the later stages of the tournament. On the men's side, top seed Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the semi‑finals of the Japan Open after his opponent Denis Shapovalov retired with a hip injury while trailing 7-6 (7-4), 2-1. Alcaraz, who is making a strong comeback after a four‑month layoff due to a wrist injury, expressed mixed feelings about the win.
"It was a little frustrating with my serve; I couldn't find a good rhythm and struggled on almost every service game," he said, noting that he had been broken three times in the opening set. Despite the unconventional victory, Alcaraz praised the quality of the points and rallies, calling the first set "great".
Alcaraz also voiced empathy for Shapovalov's situation, stating, "It's a shame he had to pull out. Advancing to a semi‑final like this isn’t how I wanted to get here, but sometimes sports are tough.
I hope he recovers quickly and can compete in Shanghai healthy." The Spaniard will now face fellow countryman Jaume Munar in the semi‑finals after Munar, a qualifier, defeated France's Kyrian Jacquet 6-4, 6-2. The double exit of the top two women’s seeds has dramatically reshaped the competitive landscape of the China Open. With Sabalenka and Rybakina out, the draw is now wide open for players like Bartúková, Kraus, Andreeva, and other mid‑ranked athletes to make deep runs. Historically, the Beijing tournament has been a venue where lower‑seeded players can spring surprises, and this year appears set to continue that trend.
For fans eager to follow the unfolding drama, live streaming options remain available through NOW and the Sky Sports app, offering coverage of both the WTA China Open and the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters. As the tournament progresses into its second week, all eyes will be on the emerging talent and the seasoned veterans hoping to capitalize on the sudden vacuum left by the early departures of the world’s top two women players.