Aryna Sabalenka breezes past Renata Zarazua while dropping just four games in commanding performance
WTA
Aryna Sabalenka is in line for a big end to the 2026
campaign. Her Asian swing began with a bang as she comfortably defeated Renata
Zarazua 6-1, 6-3 in the second round of the China Open. On court for just 62 minutes, it was the perfect start to her
title quest in Beijing.
It was Sabalenka’s first venture on court since the US Open
despair. She not only lost in the final to Elena Rybakina, but her rival stole
the World No.1 tag off her in the process. This meant she is now taking up an unfamiliar
spot in the bottom half of the draw.
That will change little for the Belarusian, who still has the
same aspirations of clinching silverware and dominating in the process. The
China Open is one of the only two WTA 1000 tournaments that she has never won,
not even making it past the quarter-final stage in her four prior main draw participations.
Based off her prior form at this level in 2026, she may be at
risk of slipping up in the earlier rounds. However, if the US Open is anything
to go off, Sabalenka is returning back to her best with a big end to the year on
the horizon.
This starts in Beijing and her commanding win over Zarazua.
Sabalenka dropped just one game on the opening set as she flexed her muscles
early. She was dominant on serve in the second set, shutting the door on her
opponent and fires herself into the third round in just over an hour.
Aryna Sabalenka is in the third round of the China Open 2026
Sabalenka cruises through with fine showing
From the off, it seemed that Sabalenka meant business. The
pair faced off just once before in the last-32 of the 2025 Brisbane International.
Sabalenka won that contest while claiming the final eight games of the match,
going on to win the title. A sign of things to come?
She got out of the blocks quickly, having points to win the opening
four games. She would break in the second after spurning some earlier chances
but amending things in deuce. She had another chance to receive more daylight ahead
but this time her effort was rebuffed.
Sabalenka continued to
stamp her authority on proceedings. A tight hold was followed by a second break
of serve, spelling almost certain doom for Zarazua in the first set. A hold to
love confirmed that fate in just 30 minutes.
The second set began with the same trend. Zarazua took the
lead but eight points later, some huge hitting powered Sabalenka 2-1 to the
good with a break of serve being added to the first set advantage.
Read also
Zarazua held her own on serve, but Sabalenka was not budging
when starting games. Dropping just two points on serve, she led 5-3 and ramped
up the pressure on her opponent to stay in the contest.
It would not happen. Sabalenka once again upped the ante and
proved way too strong for her. The No.28 seed Nikola Bartunkova will be her
third round opponent.
Lucas MichaelTennis Journalist
Lucas Michael is a tennis journalist based in Cambridge, UK, specializing in comprehensive coverage of the ATP and WTA tours. For the past 1.5 years, he has been a core contributor to TennisUpToDate, where he has authored more than 3,000 data-driven match reports, deep-dive analysis pieces, and engaging liveblogs.
Lucas pairs real-time statistical analysis with on-the-ground reporting, frequently traveling to tournaments to cover the action firsthand from the press box and player press conferences. This blend of advanced metrics and direct access allows him to provide sharp context regarding player form, tactical trends, and breaking tour developments.
He holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. Grounded in core journalistic ethics, Lucas places a strict emphasis on meticulous sourcing, editorial accuracy, and a commitment to updating live content swiftly as verified information emerges.
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mandoist29-09-2026 - Let's not BS the general public -- Sabalenka started showing cracks in her game last season. Her losses and near-losses started at about the same time she began being distracted by Fame (constant Selfies, making TV commercials, magazine shoots, endless Social Media nonsense, etc., etc.) One would think even Saba could recognize the parallels with others who failed before her -- Raducanu, Giorgi, Bouchard to name a few.mandoist25-09-2026
- Gross!! Hey Raducanu, Giorgi, and Bouchard -- reserve a seat at your Social Media Selfie table for Saba + Naomi. They're heading in your direction soon enough.mandoist24-09-2026
- And then these same players will complain about how lengthy their season’s were and need more time-off. I’m all for more tennis but the amount of tennis we get now is actually kind of crazy! We all need a break, especially the players.DaveyWavey23-09-2026
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tennishappens19-09-2026 - Serena Williams chose her tournaments. It's not such a bad idea.MuswellHillbilly17-09-2026
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