Sports
China Open loses both top WTA seeds as Sabalenka, Rybakina exit early
October 4, 2026 at 09:02 AM
Coverage
3 reports · over 3 hours
TGThe Guardian
Aryna Sabalenka swept out of China Open in straight-sets defeat by Nikola Bartunkova
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AJAl Jazeera English
Sabalenka, Rybakina handed shock defeats at China Open tennis
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ESESPN
Sabalenka bounced from China Open by Bartunkova in third round - ESPN
(opens the publisher’s site)The China Open has lost both top women's seeds, with Aryna Sabalenka following Elena Rybakina out in early-round defeats.
- Rybakina, playing her first match as world number one, lost to Russia's Alina Charaeva in the second round on Saturday.
- Sabalenka was defeated 6-4, 6-3 by 34th-ranked Czech Nikola Bartunkova in the third round on Sunday.
- Bartunkova said she focused on staying calm and described the four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka as "a legend."
- Bartunkova, 20, will next face Austria's Sinja Kraus in the round of 16.