Sabalenka Routs Zarazua 6-1, 6-3 in Beijing Return, Sends Warning to Rybakina After Losing No. 1 Ranking

BEIJING — Aryna Sabalenka made a commanding return to competition Friday, beating Mexico's Renata Zarazua 6-1, 6-3 in the second round of the China Open in her first match since losing the U.S. Open final and the world No. 1 ranking to Elena Rybakina.

The second-seeded Belarusian needed just 1 hour, 2 minutes to beat the 94th-ranked Zarazua and reach the third round of the WTA 1000 tournament, where she will face 28th-seeded Nikola Bartunkova of the Czech Republic.

After the match, Sabalenka said her focus remained firmly on her own game, a message that could concern her rivals as the season enters its final stretch.

"I was just trying to stay focused on myself, try to stay aggressive on my serve, and on the return as well. I'm happy with the game I played today," Sabalenka said in her on-court interview.

Dominant from the start

Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, controlled the match from the opening games. She broke Zarazua's serve in the second and sixth games of the first set and closed it out with a love hold in about 30 minutes.

Zarazua took an early lead in the second set, but Sabalenka responded with powerful hitting to break in the third game. The Belarusian dominated on serve, dropping just two points on her serve in the set as she built a 5-3 lead.

With Zarazua serving to stay in the match, Sabalenka broke again to seal the victory.

Zarazua, who became the first Mexican woman to beat a top-10 player at the U.S. Open last year, battled throughout but could not find an answer to Sabalenka's power.

A full house in Beijing

Sabalenka praised the crowd at the National Tennis Center and joked about the reason for the large turnout. Novak Djokovic, a six-time China Open champion who has never lost a singles match at the event, is also competing in Beijing.

"I think, first of all, wow, this is the first time I've seen a full crowd here in Beijing. You guys probably came to watch Novak, but I really enjoyed playing in front of you all," Sabalenka said.

"I'm always excited to come back to China to play in front of you all. Thank you so much for your love, support, incredible gifts that you always bring," she added.

Focused on herself

Sabalenka said her approach would not change as she moves deeper into the tournament.

"I'm looking forward to my next match. I want to stay focused, focus on myself, on my game, stay aggressive, and push myself and also my opponent," she said.

A difficult stretch

The win offered a welcome boost after a challenging few months by Sabalenka's standards.

The 28-year-old held the world No. 1 ranking for 99 weeks before Rybakina overtook her. Rybakina also beat Sabalenka in the U.S. Open final in September, meaning Sabalenka will finish the season without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2022.

Sabalenka has not won a title since March.

Speaking to reporters before the tournament, Sabalenka said she felt rejuvenated after playing a lighter schedule.

"This time I feel like, because I didn't play that many matches, I feel fresh," she said.

She also said her run to the U.S. Open final had helped her rediscover her enjoyment of the sport.

"At the U.S. Open I started to enjoy tennis again because of being healthy mentally and physically," Sabalenka said.

Chasing a first Beijing title

The China Open is one of the few WTA 1000 events Sabalenka has never won. She has not advanced beyond the quarterfinals in four previous main-draw appearances in Beijing.

Sabalenka withdrew from last year's tournament because of injury, meaning any ranking points she earns this week will add to her total as she tries to close the gap on Rybakina before the end of the season.

Rybakina, the top seed, also received a first-round bye. Defending champion Amanda Anisimova is not competing after ending her 2026 season because of injury.

Next up: Bartunkova

Sabalenka's third-round opponent, Bartunkova, is a rising Czech player. The two met once before, at the Berlin Open earlier this year, where Sabalenka won in three sets.

Sabalenka will try to extend her run in Beijing as the Asian swing continues. With the WTA Finals approaching later this year, the remaining tournaments offer her a chance to end the season strongly and to make a push to reclaim the top ranking.