Aryna Sabalenka defeats Renata Zarazúa at China Open

Aryna Sabalenka, the world number two, made a dominant start at the China Open in Beijing, defeating Mexico’s Renata Zarazúa 6-1, 6-3 in a match lasting approximately 62 minutes. Sabalenka displayed significant power, recording 11 aces and 36 winners while not conceding a single break point. This victory marks her first match since losing the US Open title and the world number one ranking to Elena Rybakina.

Following this win, Sabalenka is scheduled to face Czech player Nikola Bartůnková in the next round.

Other notable results from the tournament include Mirra Andreeva’s comeback victory over China’s Yuan Yue, winning 3-6, 6-0, 6-0, and Naomi Osaka’s three-set win against Maria Timofeeva. In the men’s draw, Novak Djokovic advanced to the quarterfinals after a comeback against Bu Yunchaokete, equaling a record of 31 consecutive opening wins in Beijing.