Reaching the top of tennis is a dream for every player. Staying there is a different challenge. Sometimes the sport shows how quickly a crown can feel heavy, and this fresh story proves it again.
Big moments in sports rarely follow a script. A single night can flip expectations and send fans scrambling for answers. That is exactly why surprises, setbacks, and tough decisions grab so much attention each season.
A shocking Beijing loss stuns tennis fans
Elena Rybakina lost her opening match as world No. 1 on October 3, 2026. She fell to Alina Charaeva in the second round of the China Open in Beijing. Fans around the world were stunned.
Rybakina claimed the opening set 6-3, but Charaeva responded by winning the next two sets 6-4 and 6-3. The dramatic Saturday night contest lasted two hours and 11 minutes overall.
Charaeva, a 24-year-old Armenian, was competing in only her 17th WTA main draw match. Her stunning victory over Rybakina became a career-defining night for the world No. 118 player.
How Charaeva pulled off the upset
Charaeva trailed after the first set but stayed calm. She leaned on her serve and won 76% of points behind her first serve. That steadiness helped change the direction of the match.
She also converted 5 of 8 break point chances. Rybakina struggled on serve, and 7 double faults gave Charaeva valuable extra momentum throughout the match.
The turning point came in the second set. Rybakina led 2-1, but Charaeva broke back and kept pressure on the world No. 1. From there, Rybakina could not regain control.
An unwanted piece of WTA history
Rybakina became only the second woman to lose her first match as world No. 1. Naomi Osaka suffered the same fate in 2019. Kristina Mladenovic beat her in Dubai that year.
Charaeva became the lowest-ranked player to rally from a set down against a world No. 1 since 1975, while also becoming just the ninth player ranked outside the top 100 to defeat one.
Evonne Goolagong held the No. 1 ranking without playing a match during her time at the top. Rybakina, however, played her first match as world No. 1, giving her a different start despite suffering defeat.
Rybakina pulls out of Wuhan Open
Rybakina officially announced her withdrawal on October 4, a day after the shocking loss in Beijing. Wuhan organizers posted her statement on Instagram, and she also said, “I’ll take some time to rest and recover.”
She apologized to the fans who had hoped to see her play. She closed her message by thanking them for their continued support. Her final line was a hopeful see you next year to everyone.
Rybakina reached the Wuhan quarterfinals last year, so she will drop the 215 ranking points from that run. She is still scheduled for the Ningbo Open and is also entered for the Tokyo tournament.
The foot injury behind the struggles
Rybakina has struggled with a persistent left ankle issue that has limited her movement. It also forced her to retire from her Cincinnati quarterfinal against Iga Swiatek just before the US Open.
Rybakina said she felt her foot a little bit near the end of the match. She called it a very tough day out there. The comments came during her official post-match interview with reporters.
Rybakina also skipped Kazakhstan’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals run after a physically demanding month. Rest was clearly needed. Pulling out of the Wuhan Open was a logical next move for her very tired body.
Little-known fact: Rybakina said she had roughly 15 offers from US colleges but wanted to keep playing professionally. Her father worried about money and injuries, so he first wanted her to go.
What the withdrawal means for rankings
Her No. 1 spot is safe for now. Before Beijing, Rybakina led Sabalenka, the former leader, by 2,091 points. The gap stayed above 2,000 points even after her early exit in Beijing.
Sabalenka also lost in Beijing. Czech player Nikola Bartunkova, ranked 34th, beat her in straight sets in the third round. That result also kept the points race from tightening much at all.
Sabalenka now has a chance to close some of that gap. Wuhan is a big event, and last year was a strong stretch for Rybakina. Her absence makes the final weeks more interesting to watch.
Her remarkable season before Beijing
Rybakina won her first Australian Open title in January 2026, defeating Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the final. She delivered an impressive serving display, including winning 81% of her first-serve points in the final set.
She then beat Sabalenka again in the US Open final on Sept. 12. The score was 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, and Rybakina earned the tournament’s record $5.5 million singles champion’s prize.
Rybakina became only the second player since the WTA rankings began in 1975 to defeat the world No. 1 in multiple Grand Slam finals in the same season. Steffi Graf achieved the feat in 1995.
What fans can expect from Rybakina next
Here is a fun fact. Rybakina became the first player from Kazakhstan to win an Australian Open singles title. That remains a proud milestone for her country and its fans.
Her serve remains one of her biggest weapons on court. WTA reported after the US Open that she led the tour in aces with more than 350 in 2026, highlighting the power behind one of tennis’ most dangerous serves.
Consistency may be the key as she heals. A calmer serving game could help her avoid early upsets. Rivals and fans will watch Ningbo closely to see whether she is healthy and sharp again.
TL;DR
- Rybakina lost to No. 118 Alina Charaeva in her first match as world No. 1.
- She withdrew from the Wuhan Open a day later because of a foot injury.
- She is only the second woman to lose her first match at No. 1.
- Her ranking lead stayed above 2,000 points.
- Ningbo is her next scheduled event.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
