ล wiatekโ Suffersโ Shocking โคBeijing Upset, Losing toโฃ Navarro in โฃThree Sets
BEIJING – โฃTop seed iga ล wiatek โฃ(24) was sensationally eliminated from the WTA 1000 Beijingโ tournament in the round of 16,โ falling to Emma Navarro (24)โค 4-6, โ6-4, 0-6. The defeatโ marks the end of ล wiatek’s winning streak in the Chinese capital and a significant โฃsetback in the race for the year-end world No. 1 ranking.
ล wiatek had previously defeated navarro in two prior encounters: a 6-0, 6-2โค victory โขat an ITF event in the US seven yearsโ ago, โand โคa 6-1,โฃ 6-2 win in the quarterfinals of the โ2024 Australian Open.โ
Despite a strong showing in reachingโ the roundโข of 16,โฃ where she defeatedโ Yue Yuan and Camile Osorio, ล wiatek struggled with a high number of unforced errors against Navarro. She faced 15 break points, losing her own serve six times while managing to breakโ Navarro only three times. After nearly two hours of play,ล wiatek forced a deciding set,but wasโค ultimatelyโข overwhelmed,failing to win a singleโ game inโค theโฃ final setโ which lasted 40 minutes.
This loss ends ล wiatek’s six-matchโ winning streak, which began โwith โคa title run at a โคWTA 500 event inโข Seoul, Southโ Korea. it also marksโ her first โdefeat at theโ China Open,having wonโ the title in her debut appearance last year.
The result also impacts the year-end No. 1 ranking race. With Aryna Sabalenka currently sidelined due to injury, ล wiatek had an possibilityโ to extendโ her lead. However, the โloss squandered that chance.
Navarro’s victory โover ล wiatek represents her first Top โ10 win since the australian Open in January and only the sixth of her career.she will next face either compatriot Jessica pegula or Marta Kostyuk in the quarterfinals.