Sabalenka stunned by Bartunkova at China Open
World number two Aryna Sabalenka suffered a surprise defeat at the China Open, losing 6‑4, 6‑3 to 34th‑ranked Czech Nikola Bartunkova. The upset came after Sabalenka had already eliminated Elena Rybakina earlier in the tournament, and it marked the first time since 2015 that the top two seeds failed to reach the round of 16 at this WTA 1000 event. Bartunkova, who will now meet Austria’s Sinja Kraus in the next round, credited a calm, self‑focused approach for her performance.
The loss adds to a mixed season for Sabalenka, who has not captured a title since completing the “Sunshine Double” at Indian Wells and Miami in March. Despite her high ranking, she has struggled with frustration on court, failing to convert any of her five break points against Bartunkova and even throwing her racquet after falling behind early in the second set. The defeat follows a recent upset of top seed Rybakina, who was knocked out by world‑number‑118 Alina Charaeva, underscoring the tournament’s wave of unexpected results.
Sabalenka’s early exit leaves her without a Grand Slam trophy for the first time since 2022 and raises questions about her form heading into the season’s final events. Meanwhile, the tournament’s other storylines include Carlos Alcaraz’s semi‑final run at the Japan Open, where he advanced after Denis Shapovalov retired with a thigh injury. Alcaraz, defending champion in Tokyo, will face fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar for a spot in the final, highlighting his continued resurgence after a wrist injury that sidelined him for much of the previous year.
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