Sabalenka knocked out of China Open in straight sets by Bartunkova

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SECOND-RANKED Aryna Sabalenka was bundled out in the third round of the China Open in straight sets by the Czech Republic’s Nikola Bartunkova.

The No 34-ranked Bartunkova defeated the four-time Grand Slam champion 6-4, 6-3 in just over an hour-and-a-half leaving the tournament without its two top seeds in the first week.

A surprise tournament saw newly crowned world No 1 Elena Rybakina ousted on Saturday, so will be joining Sabalenka in exiting WTA-1000 event in Beijing early.

Sabalenka, who was denied a three-peat at the US Open last month by Rybakina, squandered five break points in the first set as her historic struggles in Beijing continued. The 28-year-old Belorussian has never progressed past the quarter-finals at the event.

“First of all, I focused on myself to be calm,” Bartunkova said. “And Aryna, she’s great, she’s a legend, she’s a Grand Slam champion. So, yeah, I’m really happy that I won the match … I’m not a girl who celebrates too much.”

Bartunkova will next play 24-year-old Sinja Kraus of Austria, who earlier defeated Dayana Yastremska 6-1, 6-4.

Fifth-ranked Mirra Andreeva eased into the fourth round with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Polina Kudermetova.

This year’s French Open winner fired six aces and took five of her seven break point opportunities to overwhelm her Uzbek opponent in just in 68 minutes.