# Sabalenka and Rybakina crash out in Beijing

> World number two Aryna Sabalenka loses to 34th-ranked Nikola Bartunkova at the China Open, a day after top seed Elena Rybakina also exits.
- Title: Sabalenka and Rybakina crash out in Beijing · BBC Sport
- Summary: World number two Aryna Sabalenka loses to 34th-ranked Nikola Bartunkova at the China Open, a day after top seed Elena Rybakina also exits. World number two…
- Keywords: aryna sabalenka, nikola bartunkova, china open, elena rybakina, tennis, wta, sports, Sabalenka, Rybakina, crash, Beijing, BBC Sport
- Source: BBC Sport — https://bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/articles/c64g155j534vo
- Published: 2026-10-04T07:30:23.505+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: aryna sabalenka, nikola bartunkova, china open, elena rybakina, tennis, wta, sports
## Bartunkova stuns Sabalenka in Beijing
World number two Aryna Sabalenka lost to 34th-ranked Czech Nikola Bartunkova six four, six three at the China Open on October fourth.
## Top seeds fall in consecutive days
Sabalenka's exit came a day after top seed Elena Rybakina, who beat Sabalenka in the US Open final last month, was knocked out by Armenian world number 118 Alina Charaeva.
## First time since 2015
This is the first time since two thousand fifteen that the top two seeds have failed to reach the round of sixteen at the China Open.
## Bartunkova's breakthrough continues
Twenty-year-old Bartunkova said: I focused on myself, to be calm. She's a legend, so I'm really happy that I won the match. She will face Austria's Sinja Kraus next.

> I focused on myself, to be calm. She's a legend, so I'm really happy that I won the match.
## Sabalenka's difficult year
Sabalenka has not won a title since March's Sunshine Double at Indian Wells and Miami. She will finish without a Grand Slam trophy for the first time since two thousand twenty-two.
## Rybakina withdraws from Wuhan Open
World number one Elena Rybakina withdrew from this month's Wuhan Open due to a foot injury, less than twenty-four hours after her China Open exit. The tournament is scheduled for October twelve to eighteen.
## Key takeaway

World number two Aryna Sabalenka lost to 34th-ranked Nikola Bartunkova at the China Open, continuing a difficult season without a Grand Slam title.