Story perspectives

Rybakina Loses China Open Opener as World No. 1

By Drooid · Oct 4, 2026, 11:07 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Elena Rybakina, world No. 1, lost to No. 118 Alina Charaeva 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 at the China Open.
Rybakina served seven double faults and lost her serve five times, falling behind 4-2 in the third set.
She became only the second woman, after Naomi Osaka in 2019, to lose her first match as world No. 1.
Rybakina attributed the loss to a hectic post-US Open schedule that left her little sleep and recovery.

History

Historical Context

In 2019, Naomi Osaka became the first woman to lose her opening match as newly crowned world No. 1 at Wimbledon, sparking debate. The tournament’s organizers, the All England Club, recorded Osaka’s 6-3 6-2 defeat to 115-ranked Johanna Konta, marking a 0% win rate for top seeds that year. Today, Elena Rybakina’s 3-6 6-4 6-3 loss to 118-ranked Alina Charaeva at the 2024 China Open mirrors Osaka’s upset, highlighting fatigue from dense post-US Open schedules. Analysts predict the WTA may revise calendar spacing, as repeated early exits of top players could erode tournament viewership and sponsor revenue.

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Story summary

Elena Rybakina, world No. 1, lost to No. 118 Alina Charaeva 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 at the China Open.
Rybakina served seven double faults and lost her serve five times, falling behind 4-2 in the third set.
She became only the second woman, after Naomi Osaka in 2019, to lose her first match as world No. 1.
Rybakina attributed the loss to a hectic post-US Open schedule that left her little sleep and recovery.

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