World No. 1 Elena Rybakina suffered a stunning defeat in her opening match at the WTA 1000 in Beijing, falling 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 to Alina Charaeva. Entering the tournament on the heels of her US Open championship run where she secured the top ranking for the first time in her career, Rybakina was forced to halt her momentum as the world No. 118 engineered a historic comeback on the central court.
How Alina Charaeva Stunned the World No. 1 in Beijing
The match began with Rybakina establishing early control, securing three breaks of serve to take the opening set 3-6. According to reporting from Punto de Break, Charaeva refused to fold after dropping the first frame, instead dialing up her aggression from the baseline and disrupting the Kazakh star with deep, punishing groundstrokes.
Charaeva’s serving performance proved vital in swinging the contest. By keeping Rybakina from finding her usual rhythm, the 24-year-old broke in the fourth and tenth games of the second set to level the match, before sealing the decisive break in the sixth game of the third set. OptaAce noted on social media that Charaeva became the lowest-ranked player (No. 118) to claim a comeback victory against a reigning World No. 1 since the WTA rankings were first published in 1975.
Match Tenis highlighted that the result marks only the second time since 1975 that a player has defeated a sitting World No. 1 in their very first match holding that ranking, echoing Kristina Mladenovic’s win over Naomi Osaka in Dubai in 2019. Charaeva advanced to face Britain’s Sonay Kartal following her victory over the top seed.
Physical Toll and Immediate Rest for Rybakina
Following her unexpected exit from the Chinese capital, Infobae reported that Rybakina announced a one-week break to fully recover an injured foot. The reigning US Open champion opted to step away from competition temporarily to bring her physical condition back to one hundred percent after carrying the heavy workload of her North American hard-court title run straight into the Asian swing.
Rybakina’s absence from the later rounds of Beijing and her upcoming recovery window reflect the grueling nature of the late-season calendar. Having skipped the Billie Jean King Cup Finals earlier in the season, the top-ranked player now focuses entirely on healing her foot before plotting her return to the WTA tour.
Background and Coaching Influence Behind Charaeva’s Rise
Charaeva's breakthrough win in Beijing shows a trajectory built on years of development under Spanish coaching. Pointing to her long-term training roots, Punto de Break noted that Charaeva has worked since the age of 15 with Spanish coach Carlos Martínez, adopting a style rooted in defensive resilience and wearing down opponents from the baseline. Now representing Armenia as her sporting nationality, the 24-year-old secured the win while targeting her maiden entry into the WTA top 100.
Tournament Context and Head-to-Head Statistics
Prior to their first-round clash on October 1, 2026, bet365 reported that Rybakina and Charaeva had never faced each other on the professional tour.
Europa Press documented Rybakina’s recent high-stakes run through the US Open, where she defeated Aryna Sabalenka in a three-set final (4-6, 7-5, 2-6), Coco Gauff in the semifinals, and Qinwen Zheng in the quarterfinals. Charaeva arrived at the Beijing main draw through the qualifying rounds, following tournament appearances at the Korea Open—where she defeated Sofia Kenin—and the São Paulo Open.
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