Elena Rybakina suffers shock defeat to world No 118 Alina Charaeva after US Open triumph

Elena Rybakina, freshly ranked world No 1 after winning the US Open — her second Grand Slam title of 2026 — suffered a shock first-round defeat at the China Open on Saturday, losing 6-3, 4-6, 3-6 to world No 118 Alina Charaeva of Armenia. It was Charaeva's first ever victory over a top-20 player, and she advances to face Britain's Sonay Kartal in the round of 32. Elsewhere, Coco Gauff won her opening match while Harriet Dart was eliminated, and Carlos Alcaraz reached the quarter-finals of the Japan Open.