Aryna Sabalenková suffered another setback and shocked at the China Open

Aryna Sabalenkova suffered another setback in a tough second half of 2026 as she crashed out of the China Open after a shock 6-4, 6-3 defeat to world No. 34 Nikola Bartunk in Beijing on Sunday.

The second-seeded Sabalenka struggled to find her best tennis against the 20-year-old Czech, who stayed level throughout the hour and 35 minutes to secure the biggest win of her career. Bartunk also hit four aces as she stunned the four-time Grand Slam champion.

Sabalenkova’s problems started immediately when she was broken in the opening game. Belarus had chances to strike back, winning five break points in the sixth game of the opening set, but failing to convert any of them. Bartunk held her nerve, continued to play impressive defense and eventually secured another break to take the first set 6-4.

The second set had a similar course. Bartunková remained calm while Sabalenka tried to assert her strong game. The Czech earned a crucial break in the fourth game and maintained a 4:2 lead. Sabalenka’s frustration boiled over as she dropped her racket after dropping her serve. Bartunková didn’t even blink, she served the match on her first match point when Sabalenková sent the return into the net.

“I concentrated on myself to be calm. Aryna is great. She is a legend. She is a Grand Slam champion,” said the 20-year-old Bartůňková after the biggest victory of her career.

SABALENKA DIFFICULTY DEEPER

The defeat adds another chapter of disappointment to 2026, which has become frustrating for Sabalenka. She started the year in sensational fashion, winning Brisbane before completing the Sunshine Double with titles in Indian Wells and Miami in March. She became only the fifth woman to do so.

However, Sabalenkova did not win another title from Miami. She reached the final of the Australian Open but lost to Elena Rybakina and later suffered another big disappointment at the US Openwhere Rybakina beat her 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the final. This result meant that Sabalenka would finish 2026 without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2022.

Rybakina also replaced Sabalenkova at No. 1 after the US Open, ending the Belarusian’s long run at the top. Now that Sabalenkova has been knocked out of Beijing in the third round, her season has taken another unexpected turn.

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