Beijing (AFP) – Kazakh tennis player Elena Rybakina was eliminated in the second round of the WTA 1000 in Beijing after losing this Saturday to Armenian Alina Charaeva, 118th in the ranking, in her first match since rising to world number one last month.

First modification: 03/10/2026 - 17:58

Rybakina took a brief break after her US Open title in September and was exempt from playing the first round in Beijing, so this duel against Charaeva, which she won 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, marked her reappearance on the circuit.

"I don't have words to describe it," initially admitted Charaeva, 24 years old and who will play in the round of 32 against the British Sonay Kartal (129th).

"(Rybakina) is an incredible player, this for me is like a dream come true. I hope she can continue a few more days in Beijing. You must never stop believing," she confided.

Rybakina thus began the Asian tour with a stumble, after a United States Open in which she won the third Grand Slam title of her career and the second of 2026, after the one achieved at the Australian Open.

His other success in a major came at Wimbledon in 2022.

The others comply

Her defeat was the big surprise of the day in a WTA 1000 where other favorites delivered in their second round duels.

The American Coco Gauff, world number four and champion in Beijing in 2024, had to work hard to defeat the Colombian María Camila Osorio (66th) 7-6 (7/4), 4-6 and 6-2.

The Polish Iga Swiatek, winner of the tournament in the Chinese capital in 2023 and currently fallen to ninth place in the world rankings, had a placid debut in this edition, with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over local Gao Xinyu (244th).

Spain was left without representatives in the draw with the defeats of Paula Badosa (59th) and Cristina Bucsa (35th), eliminated respectively by the Latvian Jelena Ostapenko (32nd) and the Chinese Sun Xinran (582nd).

The WTA 1000 in Beijing is held in parallel with a lower-ranked men's tournament in the same city, an ATP 500.

In that competition, the German Alexander Zverev, world number two, qualified this Saturday for the quarterfinals, where he will face the Serbian legend Novak Djokovic.

-- Beijing WTA 1000 Tournament

- Women's singles - Second round:

Alina Charaeva (ARM) defeated Elena Rybakina (KAZ/N.1) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3

Sonay Kartal (GBR) defeats Wang Xinyu (CHN/N.31) 6-3, 6-2

Marie Bouzkova (CZE/N.18) defeats Kimberly Birrell (AUS) 6-4, 6-4

Zheng Qinwen (CHN) to Anna Kalinskaya (RUS/N.15) 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 3-0 and abandonment

Belinda Bencic (SUI/N.9) beats Anastasia Zakharova (RUS) 6-1, 7-6 (7/3)

Ann Li (USA/N.21) beats Ashlyn Krueger (USA) 6-4, 6-2

Maria Sakkari (GRE/N.25) defeats Storm Hunter (AUS) 6-2, 6-2

Elina Svitolina (UKR/N.6) defeats Katerina Siniaková (CZE) 1-6, 6-4, 6-2

Cori Gauff (USA/N.3) beat María Camila Osorio (COL) 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-2

Sun Xinran (CHN) beats Cristina Bucsa (ESP/N.27) 6-4, 7-5

Jelena Ostapenko (LAT/N.24) beats Paula Badosa (ESP) 7-6 (7/5), 7-5

Elise Mertens (BEL/N.13) beats Katie Volynets (USA) 6-0, 4-6, 7-5

Iva Jovic (USA/N.10) beat Harriet Dart (GBR) 2-6, 6-3, 6-3

Kamilla Rakhimova (UZB) defeats Leylah Fernandez (CAN/N.23) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3

Donna Vekic (CRO/N.30) beats Zhu Lin (CHN) 6-1, 4-6, 6-2

Iga Swiatek (POL/N.8) beats Gao Xinyu (CHN) 6-2, 6-3

© 2026 AFP

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