Bartunkova eliminates Sabalenka at China Open

Nikola Bartunkova defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the third round of the China Open in Beijing on Sunday, eliminating the second seed and advancing to the round of 16. The straight-sets result, reported by most match accounts as 6-4, 6-3, also left both of the tournament’s top two women’s seeds out before the last 16 after Elena Rybakina’s earlier defeat. Bartunkova, a 20-year-old Czech player, broke Sabalenka in the opening game, then held off five break-point chances in the sixth game of the first set, according to match reports. The contest lasted about an hour and 35 minutes. Accounts differ on the order of the set scores: most give 6-4, 6-3, while one report lists 6-3, 6-4. The winner and straight-sets outcome are consistent across the reports. Bartunkova said she focused on staying calm and on her own game. She described Sabalenka as a legend and a Grand Slam champion, and said she was happy with the win. The victory was reported as one of the biggest of Bartunkova’s career. She is set to meet Austria’s Sinja Kraus in the round of 16; the supplied accounts do not establish the match’s date or time.