Photo via Yahoo Sports

Elena Rybakina’s shock Beijing defeat takes a worrying turn with Wuhan withdrawal

World No. 1 tennis player Elena Rybakina suffered a stunning second-round exit at the China Open in Beijing on Saturday, October 3, 2026, after losing 3–6, 6–4, 6–3 to unranked Armenian Alina Charaeva.

The match lasted over two hours, with Charaeva overcoming a set-down deficit by capitalizing on Rybakina’s seven double faults and converting five of eight break-point opportunities. The 24-year-old Charaeva, ranked 118th in the world, became only the ninth player outside the top 100 to defeat a reigning world No.

1 and the lowest-ranked to rally from a set down against one since 1975, marking a historic upset in women’s tennis. Rybakina, who had claimed the opening set 6–3, struggled with consistency on serve and failed to regain control after Charaeva broke back in the second set, ultimately losing her first match as world No.

1—a rare setback shared only by Naomi Osaka in 2019. Following the defeat, Rybakina withdrew from the Wuhan Open the next day, citing the need for rest and recovery, and apologized to fans for her absence.

She also acknowledged a persistent left ankle injury that has hindered her performance, forcing her to retire from another match earlier in the season. Despite the setback, Rybakina remains in contention for the Ningbo Open and Tokyo tournaments later this year, though her withdrawal from Wuhan means she will lose 215 ranking points from her quarterfinal run there last season.

Up nextTennis· 1h ago

Coco Gauff makes a strong statement after the China Open incident sparks online abuse