Charaeva has made steady progress recently, but Rybakina’s superior level makes the Kazakh the heavy favourite.
Rybakina Bids For Another Strong Start In Beijing
- Rybakina has a 2–0 record in opening-round matches in Beijing.
- She has not lost to a player outside the Top 100 since Rome last year.
- Charaeva has a 2–2 career record in second-round matches on tour.
- This will be the first time in her career that she faces a Top 10 player.
HTH
This will be their first meeting.
Rybakina Brings US Open Triumph Into Beijing
Elena Rybakina lifted her third Grand Slam title and second of the season at the recently concluded US Open, ending Sabalenka’s impressive 19-match winning streak by defeating her in three sets in the final.
Before the start of the North American swing, she endured some disappointing results, winning only four matches across four tournaments from the French Open to Wimbledon. However, she put those setbacks behind her by reaching the final in Toronto and the quarterfinals in Cincinnati. Those results pushed her to the top of the rankings for the first time in her career.
She has played 17 events this year and cleared the first round in 16 of them, including 11 quarterfinal-or-better results on tour, highlighting her strong form and consistency throughout the season.
She has played here twice before, reaching the semifinals during her debut in 2024 and the third round in 2025. With strong form and momentum behind her, she will be looking for another deep run this week.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | Kazakhstan |
| Age | Born 17 June 1999 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 1 |
| Career High | No. 1 (14 September 2026) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 2 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 14 |
Charaeva Builds On Rapid Progress At WTA Level
Alina Charaeva defeated Yulia Starodubtseva from a set down to reach the second round in Beijing, winning 5-7, 7-5, 6-2. After a slow start, she raised her level in the later stages of the match, including saving five of six break points in the deciding set alone to complete the comeback.
This is her first main-draw win in a WTA 1000-level event. She previously played in the main draw at this level in Madrid and Cincinnati earlier this year, with both appearances ending without a win.
The Armenian had not won a main-draw match on tour until July this year, but she has shown impressive progress at this level in recent months, reaching the quarterfinals in Sao Paulo and Hamburg and recording main-draw wins in Iasi and Seoul.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | Armenia |
| Age | Born 27 May 2002 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 118 |
| Career High | No. 108 (24 August 2026) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 108 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 0 |