Elena Rybakina Suffers Shocking Second-Round Exit at China Open
World number one Elena Rybakina suffered a stunning early exit at the China Open on October 3, 2024, falling 6-3, 4-6, 3-6 to world number 118 Alina Charaeva in Beijing. According to news.yahoo.co.jp, Rybakina struggled significantly on her serve during the second set, winning just 43 percent of her first-serve points before Charaeva seized control of the baseline rallies in the decider.
Fatigue and Physical Strain Derail the Top Seed’s Beijing Campaign
Rybakina revealed to the Women’s Tennis Association that the turnaround from New York left her depleted. “Today was a really tough day,” Rybakina said in comments published by the WTA. “After winning the US Open, it has been a busy period with almost no time for sleep and recovery.”
Physical discomfort compounded her exhaustion as the match wore on. Rybakina admitted she felt discomfort in her leg during the latter stages of the contest and intends to take a scheduled break to evaluate her physical condition before planning her next tournament appearances.
Alina Charaeva Capitalizes on the Upset to Reach the Third Round
Alina Charaeva secured the biggest victory of her professional career by dispatching the top-ranked player on the stadium court. Charaeva broke the top seed in the sixth game of the final set and held off a late surge to close out the three-set victory in Beijing. With the result, Charaeva advances to the third round of the WTA 1000 tournament, where she will face British player Sonay Kartal. Kartal earned her own spot in the next round by defeating 31st seed Wang Xinyu.
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