By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, October 2, 2026
Photo credit: Darren Carroll/USTA/US Open
Denied her Grand Slam dreams this season, Aryna Sabalenka says she feels fresh for a closing kick.
Today, Sabalenka high-stepped her way past Renata Zarazua 6-1, 6-3 in her Beijing opener.
Displaced from the top spot by Elena Rybakina, who defeated Sabalenka in last month’s US Open final, Sabalenka said she feels more energized for the stretch run of the 2026 season.
“It all depends how you play on the Grand Slams. This year half of the season I wasn’t performing well,” Sabalenka told the media in Beijing. “I was struggling with several things. I feel like this year I feel a bit fresher and kind of, like, I expect a bit more from myself.
“I’m trying to also do not put so much expectations and try to focus on myself. But overall, yeah, if the season goes well, by the end of the season you feel a little bit like I don’t have energy and power to keep pushing, especially ahead of Finals. You’re staying a bit maybe softer on yourself. This season is a different story, so I feel fresh and ready to go.”
It showed on court.
World No. 2 Sabalenka won 22 of 25 first-serve points, fired 11 aces against no double faults and did not face a break point in a 62-minute conquest.
Three-time Beijing quarterfinalist Sabalenka improved to 47-9 on the season—she’s third on the WTA for most wins behind Jessica Pegula (50) and Rybakina (49), who plays her opener on Saturday.
It was Sabalenka’s first match since her three-set loss to Rybakina in the Flushing Meadows final. The victory vaults Sabalenka, who had a first-round bye, into the round of 32 versus Nikola Bartunkova.
The 20-year-old Czech swept Magdalena Frech, 6-2, 6-2.
It was a positive day for Czech players.
Empowered by helping lead Czechia to its 12th Billie Jean King Cup championship last month, Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova each scored victories today.
Wimbledon winner Noskova saved four of five break points eliminating Elena-Gabriela Ruse, 6-4, 6-1.
The fifth-seeded Noskova was the 2025 Beijing runner-up to Amanda Anisimova, who is not defending her title after a wrist injury prompted her to pull the plug on her season.
Next up for Noskova is Swiss Viktorija Golubic, a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victor over American Peyton Stearns.
No. 7-seeded Muchova beat Briton Katie Boulter 7-6(3), 6-1 and will face hard-hitting Liudmila Samsonova next.
Reigning Roland Garros champion Mirra Andreeva overcame a first-set stumble then tore through 12 games in a row dismissing Chinese wild card Yuan Yue 3-6, 6-0, 6-0.
“She is a very smart player. She is consistent,” Yue said of Andreeva. “She runs fast. In the second and third set I lost these two sets, I wasn’t able to move as quickly as she could.
“She was very consistent in her physical conditioning. Also her shots were very accurate. When she has the time, she is able to hit wide. I think that was a key for her.”
The fourth-seeded Andreeva will play Polina Kudermetova in the round of 32.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka saved seven of 10 break points in a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over world No. 68 Maria Timofeeva.
The 12th-seeded Osaka will take on 20th-seeded Czech left-hander Sara Bejlek in the round of 32.
“I mean, for me, this is the Asian Swing. It’s kind of like my home swing,” Osaka said. “Well, I kind of refer to everything as my home swing (smiling). You know, I love to be here. I won this tournament before.
“I’m ending in Tokyo. That I also consider my home. I just want to, like, do well to hopefully have an opportunity to be higher seeded going into Australia. I’m definitely going to try my best and just see what happens.”
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