China Open: Aryna Sabalenka suffers shock Beijing exit — a day after new world No 1 Elena Rybakina was knocked out

4 October 2026, 06:07 | Updated: 4 October 2026, 08:30

A day after world No 1 Elena Rybakina was knocked out of the China Open, world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka followed suit in Beijing on Sunday.

Czech 20-year-old Nikola Bartunkova defeated the four-time Grand Slam champion 6-4 6-3, leaving the tournament without its two top seeds in the opening week.

Rybakina was knocked out on Saturday, and Sabalenka has now joined her in an early exit from the WTA 1000 event in Beijing.

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