China Open Shock: Sabalenka Joins Rybakina on the Sidelines in Beijing

Beijing’s WTA 1000 event has lost both of its top two seeds inside the opening week. World No 2 Aryna Sabalenka was beaten in straight sets by Czech 20-year-old Nikola Bartunkova on Sunday, 4 October 2026, a day after new world No 1 Elena Rybakina suffered her own early exit from the China Open.

The result extends a difficult run for Sabalenka, who has now gone nine consecutive tournaments without lifting a trophy, and hands Bartunkova the biggest win of her career.

How Sabalenka’s Run in Beijing Ended

No 26 seed Bartunkova, ranked a career-high No 34 in the world, defeated the four-time Grand Slam champion 6-4, 6-3 in the third round, breaking Sabalenka’s serve in the opening game and never relinquishing control from there. Sabalenka squandered five break points in the first set as she tried to fight her way back into the match, before Bartunkova closed it out in just over an hour and a half.

The defeat continues a troubling pattern for Sabalenka specifically in Beijing, where she has never advanced past the quarter-finals across her career, having lost at that stage in 2018, 2023 and 2024.

Rybakina’s Exit Set the Tone a Day Earlier

Sabalenka’s loss came less than 24 hours after Elena Rybakina, who replaced her at the top of the world rankings following last month’s US Open, was herself eliminated from the tournament on Saturday. With both top seeds gone inside the first week, it marks just the second time in 12 years that the China Open’s top two seeds have both failed to reach the round of 16.

Rybakina’s rise to world No 1 came directly at Sabalenka’s expense, after she denied the Belarusian a third consecutive US Open title in New York last month.

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Bartunkova’s Breakthrough Moment

For Bartunkova, the win marked her second career victory over a top-10 opponent and her first against a top-three player. She had come close to beating Sabalenka once before, in this year’s Berlin quarter-finals, but surrendered a 6-2, 4-0 lead in that earlier meeting.

Speaking after the match, Bartunkova credited her composure under pressure. “I focused on myself, to be calm,” she said, adding that she considered Sabalenka a legend of the sport. She will next face Austria’s Sinja Kraus, who reached the fourth round with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Dayana Yastremska earlier on Sunday.

A Difficult 2026 for Sabalenka

Sabalenka’s defeat in Beijing fits into a broader pattern that has defined much of her season. She has not won a title since completing the Sunshine Double at Indian Wells and Miami earlier in the year, and her run to the US Open final last month ended in a loss to Rybakina, meaning she finishes the major season without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2022.

Reflecting on the Bartunkova loss, Sabalenka was candid about her performance, saying simply that it “wasn’t good,” while praising her opponent’s talent and movement on court.

Other Results From a Day of Upsets in Beijing

Not every seeded player struggled on an afternoon that produced several shocks in the women’s draw. Fourth seed Mirra Andreeva, the reigning French Open champion, recovered from an early deficit against Polina Kudermetova to win 6-4, 6-1 in 68 minutes, saving all five break points she faced in the second set en route to the fourth round. Fifth seed Linda Noskova also advanced comfortably, needing just 55 minutes to beat Viktorija Golubic 6-2, 6-1.

Andreeva will next face Ukraine’s Daria Snigur, who reached the last 16 with a dominant 6-1, 6-0 win over Taylah Preston.

Elsewhere on Tour: Alcaraz Reaches Tokyo Semi-Finals

At the same time as the drama in Beijing, top seed Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the semi-finals of the Japan Open in Tokyo after opponent Denis Shapovalov retired with a hip injury. Alcaraz, continuing his comeback from a four-month wrist injury layoff, was leading 7-6 (4), 2-1 when the Canadian was forced to withdraw.

Alcaraz said he had struggled to find rhythm on serve during the opening set but was pleased with how he fought back after being broken. He will face fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar, who beat France’s Kyrian Jacquet 6-4, 6-2, for a place in the final.

Why These Results Matter

For the WTA Tour, back-to-back exits by the world’s top two seeds at a marquee 1000-level event is a notable storyline heading into the final stretch of the season, particularly with the year-end WTA Finals qualification race still being decided. Sabalenka’s prolonged title drought, now stretching across nine tournaments, raises questions about her form just as the season moves toward its climax.

For Bartunkova, the win offers real momentum and ranking points as she looks to build on a breakthrough season, while Rybakina’s early exit a day earlier shows that even a newly minted world No 1 remains vulnerable on a given day in Beijing.

What Happens Next

Bartunkova’s reward is a fourth-round meeting with Sinja Kraus for a place in the China Open quarter-finals. Andreeva and Noskova continue their own campaigns in the bottom half of a draw that has already been reshaped by the week’s upsets.

In Tokyo, Alcaraz’s semi-final against Jaume Munar will decide who reaches the Japan Open final, with both the China Open and the Shanghai Masters that follows likely to draw close attention as the ATP and WTA seasons head toward their year-end finals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who beat Aryna Sabalenka at the China Open?

Czech player Nikola Bartunkova, the No 26 seed and world No 34, beat Sabalenka 6-4, 6-3 in the third round on 4 October 2026.

Why had Elena Rybakina already been knocked out?

Rybakina, who became world No 1 after beating Sabalenka in the US Open final last month, lost her own match in Beijing a day before Sabalenka’s exit, on 3 October 2026.

How long has Sabalenka gone without winning a title?

Sabalenka has now gone nine consecutive tournaments without a title, with her best recent result being a runner-up finish at the US Open.

Who will Nikola Bartunkova play next?

Bartunkova will face Austria’s Sinja Kraus, who beat Dayana Yastremska 6-1, 6-4, for a place in the China Open quarter-finals.

What happened in Carlos Alcaraz’s Tokyo quarter-final?

Alcaraz advanced to the Japan Open semi-finals after opponent Denis Shapovalov retired with a hip injury while trailing 7-6 (4), 2-1.