Nikola Bartunkova defeats Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-3 in China Open third round

Third-round exit in Beijing

World number two Aryna Sabalenka was eliminated from the China Open on Sunday following a 6-4, 6-3 defeat against 20-year-old Czech player Nikola Bartunkova. The third-round match lasted one hour and 35 minutes on the hard courts in Beijing. Bartunkova, ranked 34th in the world, secured an immediate advantage by breaking Sabalenka's serve in the opening game of the contest. Sabalenka earned five separate opportunities to break back during the sixth game of the opening set, but Bartunkova defended every break point to preserve her lead and close out the set.

In the second set, Bartunkova broke Sabalenka's service twice, establishing leads at 2-1 and 6-3 without facing a single break point on her own serve. Sabalenka showed visible frustration during the second set, throwing her racquet to the court after losing serve before Bartunkova converted her first match point when Sabalenka hit a return into the net.

I focused on myself, to be calm. Aryna is great. She's a legend. She's a Grand Slam champion.

Both top seeds out before round of 16

Sabalenka's elimination follows the second-round defeat of world number one Elena Rybakina on Saturday. Rybakina, the top seed in Beijing, lost 6-3, 4-6, 3-6 in her opening match against Armenian world number 118 Alina Charaeva. The consecutive exits mean that both top seeds failed to reach the round of 16 at the China Open for the first time since 2015. The results leave the tournament draw without its two highest-ranked players before the fourth round begins.

Sabalenka's season record

The China Open was Sabalenka's first tournament appearance since the US Open final in September, where she lost to Rybakina and conceded the top spot in the WTA rankings. The Belarusian won consecutive titles at Indian Wells and Miami in March to complete the Sunshine Double, but has not claimed a tournament victory since. Sabalenka had previously faced Bartunkova in Berlin earlier this year, recovering from a 6-2, 4-0 deficit to win that match. The defeat in New York and early exit in Beijing ensure that Sabalenka will complete the 2026 season without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2022.

Bartunkova's tournament run and next round

The victory over Sabalenka improved Bartunkova's career record against top-10 opponents to 2-5. Her only prior top-10 victory occurred in the second round of the 2026 Australian Open, where she defeated then-tenth-ranked Belinda Bencic. Earlier this season, Bartunkova reached the final in Birmingham, the semi-finals in Monterrey, and the third round at both Wimbledon and the US Open, alongside a run to the round of 16 in Rome where she lost to eventual champion Elina Svitolina.

Bartunkova, who eliminated Poland's Magdalena Frech in the second round in Beijing, will face Austrian world number 95 Sinja Kraus in the round of 16. Kraus advanced after defeating Daiana Yastremska 6-1, 6-4, while Bartunkova holds a 1-0 record against Kraus from a 2025 match in Hechingen. Eighth seed Iga Swiatek remains in the Beijing draw, scheduled to play 30th seed Donna Vekic in the third round on Monday.