BEIJING -- Second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka was bundled out in the third round of the China Open in straight sets by the Czech Republic's Nikola Bartunkova on Sunday.
The No. 34-ranked Bartunkova defeated the four-time Grand Slam champion 6-4, 6-3 in just over an hour and a half leaving the tournament without its two top seeds in the first week.
Newly crowned world No. 1 Elena Rybakina was ousted from the tournament on Saturday and will now be joined by Sabalenka in exiting WTA-1000 event in Beijing early.
Sabalenka, who was denied a three-peat at the US Open last month by Rybakina, squandered five break points in the first set as her historic struggles in Beijing continued. The 28-year-old Belorussian has never progressed past the quarterfinals at the event.
Bartunkova will next play 24-year-old Sinja Kraus of Austria, who earlier defeated Dayana Yastremska 6-1, 6-4.
Fifth-ranked Mirra Andreeva eased into the fourth round with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Polina Kudermetova. This year's French Open winner fired six aces and took five of her seven break point opportunities to overwhelm her Uzbek opponent in just in 68 minutes.
In the men's tournament, top seed and US Open champion Alexander Zverev plays a quarterfinal match against Novak Djokovic later Sunday.