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Sabalenka Upset by Bartunkova at China Open
Confirmed
In Short: The upset leaves the China Open without its top two seeds, as world No. 1 Elena Rybakina was ousted in the second round by Alina Charaeva.
Czech player Nikola Bartunkova, ranked 34th, stunned top seed Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, in the third round of the China Open on Sunday.
Bartunkova, 20, sent down four aces and broke Sabalenka thrice in the match, marking her second win over a Top 10 player, with her previous coming against the then No. 10 Belinda Bencic in the second round of the Australian Open 2026.
Sabalenka, who had lost six consecutive matches after dropping the first set, squandered five chances to break serve in the sixth game of the first set and was frustrated enough to toss her racquet at a break down in the fourth game of the second set.
Bartunkova said, 'I focused on myself, to be calm,' and added, 'She's a legend, so I'm really happy that I won the match.'
Sabalenka, ranked world No. 2, has not won a title since completing the 'Sunshine Double' in March, when she triumphed at Indian Wells and the Miami Open back-to-back.
The upset leaves the China Open without its top two seeds, as world No. 1 Elena Rybakina was ousted in the second round by Alina Charaeva.
Bartunkova will face Austria’s Sinja Kraus in the round of 16.
This is the first time since 2015 that the top two seeds have failed to reach the round of 16 at the China Open.
Sabalenka's performance in Beijing has been underwhelming, with this being yet another instance of her failing to impress in the tournament.
Bartunkova's victory marks a breakthrough season for the young Czech player, who has been making waves in the WTA 1000 tournament.
What this adds
Sabalenka's exit means the women's field will not have a single top-two seed in the round of 16.
What's confirmed
- “I focused on myself, to be calm,” Bartunkova said.
- “She’s a legend … so I’m really happy that I won the match,” she said of the four-time Grand Slam champion.
- Aryna Sabalenka was swatted aside in straight sets by 34th-ranked Nikola Bartunkova in the third round of the China Open, leaving the event without its top two seeds as world number one Elena Rybakina was ousted in the second round.
- The 20-year-old began the match by breaking Sabalenka in the first set and then had to save five break points in the sixth game to go 4-2 up.
- 1 Elena Rybakina was ousted from the tournament, Sabalenka followed suit with a 4-6, 3-6 defeat in 1 hour and 35 minutes.
- 34, broke Sabalenka thrice in the match and did not lose her serve as she marked her second win over a Top 10 player, with her previous coming against the then No.
- 10 Belinda Bencic in the second round of the Australian Open 2026.
- Bartunkova had a great chance to go for a double break in the next game but missed three chances.
- Meanwhile, this marked yet another instance of Sabalenka failing to impress in Beijing.
What's still developing
- The 39-year-old Serbian great enters the match with an extraordinary unbeaten streak in Beijing, but Zverev — last month’s US Open champion — is in the running for the top men’s ranking.
- Alcaraz, the defending champion in Tokyo, saved a set point in the opening set and was leading 7-6 (7-3) 2-1 when the Canadian was forced to withdraw.
- It comes a day after top seed Rybakina, who defeated Sabalenka in last month's US Open final and replaced the Belarusian at the top of the rankings, was knocked out by Armenian world number 118 Alina Charaeva.
- It has been a mixed year for Sabalenka by her high standards.
- Kartal wins again as Zverev sets up Djokovic tie At the Japan Open, Carlos Alcaraz reached the semi-finals after Denis Shapovalov retired with an injury to his right thigh.
- It is just Alcaraz's third event since returning from a wrist injury at last month's US Open, where he fell to Ben Shelton in the quarter-finals.
- Following Sabalenka's exit, the women's field will not have a single top-two seed in the round of 16.
- She broke Sabalenka again in the ninth game to complete the 6-4, 6-3 win in 1 hour, 35 minutes.
- "She is very talented, and moves well on court," Sabalenka said of her opponent after the match.