BEIJING, OCT 4 (IANS): Fifth seed Linda Noskova and fourth seed Mirra Andreeva progressed to the fourth round of the China Open in Beijing on Sunday, maintaining their title ambitions amid a tournament marked by major upsets. With top seed Elena Rybakina and second seed Aryna Sabalenka already eliminated, both young stars avoided similar fates with convincing victories.
Noskova delivered one of the most dominant performances of the day, defeating Viktorija Golubic 6-2, 6-1 in just 55 minutes. The Wimbledon champion relied on an outstanding serve, landing 77 percent of her first deliveries and losing only five points behind them. Although she faced three break points early in the second set, she escaped trouble with a series of unreturned serves and winners before taking complete control. The 21-year-old showcased an all-court game, mixing powerful groundstrokes with drop shots, drive volleys and aggressive net approaches to keep Golubic off balance throughout the match.
Meanwhile, French Open champion Andreeva overcame a stern challenge from Polina Kudermetova to secure a 6-4, 6-1 victory in 68 minutes. Kudermetova started strongly and built a 4-2 lead in the opening set with aggressive baseline play, producing far more winners than her opponent. However, Andreeva gradually adapted to the pressure, tightening her game and dramatically reducing her unforced errors. After trailing early, she won 10 of the next 11 games to seize control of the contest. Her ability to perform under pressure proved decisive, as she saved all five break points she faced in the second set and produced crucial winners and aces at important moments.
In the fourth round, Noskova will face 19th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, who rallied from a set and a break down to defeat 11th seed Diana Shnaider 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. The victory gave Alexandrova her third win in four meetings against Shnaider and another appearance in the last 16 of a WTA 1000-level event.
Andreeva’s next opponent will be Ukraine’s Daria Snigur, who stormed into the fourth round with a dominant 6-1, 6-0 victory over Taylah Preston in just 47 minutes. The result marked Snigur’s first-ever appearance in the last 16 of a WTA 1000 tournament.
With Rybakina and Sabalenka already out of the competition, the draw has opened significantly. Noskova and Andreeva have emerged among the leading contenders and will look to capitalize on the opportunity as the tournament enters its decisive stages.
Sabalenka stunned by Bartunkova in 3rd round
World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka suffered a surprise third-round defeat at the China Open in Beijing on Sunday, losing 4-6, 3-6 to the Czech Republic’s Nikola Bartunkova in a match lasting one hour and 35 minutes.
The upset came just a day after World No. 1 Elena Rybakina was eliminated, making it the first time in over a decade that the tournament’s top two seeds have both failed to reach the round of 16. Bartunkova, ranked No. 34 in the world, produced an impressive performance, breaking Sabalenka’s serve three times while holding her own serve throughout the match.
The 20-year-old Czech made a strong start by breaking Sabalenka early in the opening set and successfully saving five break points in a crucial sixth game to establish a 4-2 lead. Although she missed opportunities for a double break, Bartunkova remained composed and closed out the set 6-4 with two comfortable service holds.
She carried that momentum into the second set, securing another early break to move 3-1 ahead. Bartunkova continued to dominate on serve and broke Sabalenka once more in the ninth game to seal a straight-sets victory and one of the biggest wins of her career.
After the match, Bartunkova praised her opponent while expressing delight at the result, saying her main focus was staying calm against a player of Sabalenka’s stature and achievements.
The victory marks Bartunkova’s second career win over a Top-10 player, following her triumph over Belinda Bencic at the Australian Open 2026. For Sabalenka, the defeat continues a disappointing record in Beijing, where she has never advanced beyond the quarter-finals despite five main-draw appearances.
