Aryna Sabalenka Stunned by Nikola Bartunkova at China Open
Aryna Sabalenka was eliminated from the China Open, falling in a straight-sets defeat to 34th-ranked Nikola Bartunkova in the third round. The 6-4, 6-3 loss leaves the WTA 1,000 tournament without its top two seeds after Elena Rybakina exited in the previous round.
Nikola Bartunkova Eliminates Aryna Sabalenka in Straight Sets
The 20-year-old Czech player Nikola Bartunkova secured the victory in one hour and 35 minutes, landing four aces against the former world number one. According to sports.ndtv.com, Sabalenka squandered five break opportunities in the sixth game of the opening set while Bartunkova applied pressure with deep groundstrokes and strong defense. Sabalenka attempted to alter the momentum by donning a cap during the eighth game to manage the shifting sun and shade on court, but the adjustment failed to shift the outcome. Frustration mounted for the Belarusian in the second set when she tossed her racquet after falling behind on a break in the fourth game, eventually losing the match on the first match point by returning into the net.
“I focused on myself, to be calm. Bartunkova advances to face Austria’s Sinja Kraus in the round of 16.”
Top Seeds Exit Early at the China Open
Sabalenka’s elimination follows top seed Elena Rybakina’s second-round defeat to Alina Charaeva on Saturday. Rybakina had recently defeated Sabalenka in the US Open final last month, a result that propelled her past the Belarusian into the top spot in the world rankings.
Sabalenka’s exit continues an inconsistent run during the 2026 season following her successful defense of the Sunshine Double titles at Indian Wells and the Miami Open in March.
Other matches in the tournament saw French Open champion Mirra Andreeva advance to face Daria Snigur, while Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova defeated Viktorija Golubic 6-2, 6-1 to set up a clash with Ekaterina Alexandrova. In the men’s draw covered by sports.ndtv.com, Daniil Medvedev defeated Francisco Cerundolo 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 to reach the semi-finals.
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