The China Open saw notable upsets in its opening week, as the tournament lost both of its top two seeds within consecutive days. World No. 1 Elena Rybakina departed on Saturday, and on Sunday, world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka followed her out of the WTA 1000 event in Beijing.
Sabalenka fell to Czech qualifier Nikola Bartunkova, ranked No. 26, in a 6-4 6-3 result. The four-time Grand Slam champion struggled throughout the match, squandering five break points in the opening set as her Beijing campaign ended prematurely. The 28-year-old Belarusian has never advanced beyond the quarter-finals stage at this tournament. The loss came roughly a month after Rybakina defeated Sabalenka in the US Open final.
Bartunkova advanced to face Austria’s Sinja Kraus in the next round after Kraus defeated Dayana Yastremska 6-1 6-4. Elsewhere in the tournament, fifth seed Mirra Andreeva, the French Open champion, progressed more smoothly with a 6-4 6-1 victory over Polina Kudermetova in 68 minutes, displaying strong serving with six aces and converting five of seven break-point opportunities.
In the men’s draw at the Japan Open, top seed Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the semi-finals after Canadian Denis Shapovalov retired due to a hip injury while trailing 7-6 (7-4) 2-1. Alcaraz, making a comeback from a four-month wrist injury absence, acknowledged his service struggles in the opening set but expressed satisfaction with his resilience. He will face compatriot Jaume Munar in the semi-finals, after Munar defeated French player Kyrian Jacquet 6-4 6-2.
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