The China Open has delivered another major surprise, with Aryna Sabalenka knocked out in the third round by Czech youngster Nikola Bartunkova. The world No. 2 was beaten 6-4, 6-3 in Beijing, continuing a remarkable week of upsets at the WTA 1000 tournament.
Sabalenka entered the China Open looking to build momentum after reaching the US Open final last month. Instead, her campaign ended much earlier than expected as Bartunkova produced a confident performance to record one of the biggest victories of her career.
The result came only a day after newly crowned world No. 1 Elena Rybakina suffered her own shock defeat. Rybakina, who beat Sabalenka in the US Open final and moved to the top of the rankings, was beaten by world No. 118 Alina Charaeva.
That means both of the top two seeds at the China Open have now been eliminated before the round of 16, a highly unusual development at one of the biggest tournaments on the WTA calendar. It is the first time since 2015 that the top two seeds have failed to reach the fourth round in Beijing.
Bartunkova produces a huge upset
Bartunkova showed little fear against one of the most powerful players in women’s tennis.
The Czech player, ranked 34th in the world, broke Sabalenka in the opening game and immediately put pressure on the Belarusian. Sabalenka created five break-point opportunities during the first set but could not convert any of them.
That proved costly.
Bartunkova held her nerve and eventually secured the opening set 6-4. The 20-year-old then carried that confidence into the second set and continued to make life uncomfortable for Sabalenka.
Sabalenka struggled to find her usual rhythm and became increasingly frustrated. At one point, she threw her racquet after falling a break behind early in the second set.
Bartunkova did not allow the moment to change the match. She remained composed and closed out the contest 6-3.
The victory was particularly significant because Bartunkova had already faced Sabalenka earlier this season. At the Berlin tournament, Sabalenka survived a major scare against the Czech player after Bartunkova had taken control of their quarter-final.
This time, however, there was no comeback.
Bartunkova described Sabalenka as a legend and said she was delighted with the victory.
“I focused on myself, to be calm,” Bartunkova said after the match. “She’s a legend, so I’m really happy that I won the match.”
The win also represents Bartunkova’s first victory over a top-three opponent. WTA records list it as the second top-10 win of her career.
She will now face Austria’s Sinja Kraus as her impressive China Open run continues.
Sabalenka’s difficult second half of the season
For Sabalenka, the defeat adds another disappointing chapter to what has been a mixed season by her extremely high standards.
The Belarusian made a spectacular start to 2026 by completing the Sunshine Double. She won the Indian Wells title before immediately following it with another trophy at the Miami Open.
Since then, though, she has struggled to maintain that level.
Sabalenka has not won a title since Miami and will finish the season without a Grand Slam trophy for the first time since 2022. Her run to the US Open final looked like a potential turning point, but she ultimately lost to Rybakina.
Her latest defeat also highlights the fine margins that can decide matches at the highest level. Against Bartunkova, Sabalenka created opportunities but could not take them. Five missed break points in the opening set left the door open for her opponent.
Bartunkova walked through it.
The China Open result also shows how quickly momentum can change in women’s tennis. Rybakina arrived in Beijing as the new world No. 1 after her US Open triumph, only to lose to Charaeva in her first match as the top-ranked player. Sabalenka then followed her out of the tournament the very next day.
Alcaraz keeps Japan Open title defence alive
While Sabalenka’s China Open campaign came to an unexpected end, Carlos Alcaraz continued his progress at the Japan Open in Tokyo.
The defending champion advanced to the semi-finals after Denis Shapovalov was forced to retire because of a right-thigh injury.
Alcaraz had already won a tense opening set 7-6 (7-3) and was leading 2-1 in the second when Shapovalov could no longer continue.
Although the Spaniard did not get to finish the match in normal circumstances, the result sends him into another semi-final as he continues his title defence in Tokyo. ATP confirmed that Shapovalov retired during the quarter-final after Alcaraz had taken the opening set.
The Tokyo tournament is also an important step in Alcaraz’s comeback after his wrist injury. The Japan Open is only his third tournament since returning at the US Open, where he reached the quarter-finals before losing to American Ben Shelton.
His return has therefore been closely watched, and reaching the semi-finals in Tokyo gives him another opportunity to build match fitness and confidence before the final stages of the season.
Alcaraz will now face fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar for a place in the final.
Munar has enjoyed an excellent run of his own in Tokyo. After coming through qualifying, he has continued winning through the main draw and booked his semi-final place with a straight-sets victory over Kyrian Jacquet.
Two very different stories from Asia
The contrasting results of Sabalenka and Alcaraz underline how unpredictable the Asian swing can be at this stage of the tennis season.
Sabalenka arrived in Beijing as the second seed and one of the leading favourites, but her tournament lasted only three rounds. Rybakina, meanwhile, was eliminated even earlier.
Alcaraz has had a different experience in Tokyo. The defending champion has continued to move through the draw and is now only two wins away from successfully defending his title.
For Sabalenka, the focus will now shift toward finishing the season strongly and finding the consistency that made her so dangerous earlier in the year.
For Bartunkova, meanwhile, the China Open represents an opportunity that could change the trajectory of her career.
A win over a player of Sabalenka’s quality on a WTA 1000 stage can provide enormous confidence, and the Czech star now has a genuine chance to go even deeper in Beijing.
The tennis season is entering its final stretch, but the China Open and Japan Open have already produced plenty of drama. With major names falling and younger players making statements, there could still be several more surprises before the final trophies are lifted.
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