Day five and six at the China Open in Beijing have delivered a whirlwind of drama, resilience, and heartbreak across both the WTA and ATP draws. With Grand Slam champions, rising stars, and top seeds all in action, fans have witnessed not only thrilling tennis but also the harsh realities of the professional circuit—injuries, upsets, and the relentless chase for year-end glory.
On the women’s side, the spotlight shone on a series of matchups that promised intrigue and certainly delivered on tension. Jasmine Paolini, known for her recent surge on hard courts, stepped onto the court against Sofia Kenin. Despite Kenin’s dominant 3–0 head-to-head record, Paolini’s growing confidence was palpable. Kenin, however, has struggled to string together wins lately, and this clash seemed to pit momentum against pedigree. In the end, the contest showcased both players’ strengths, but the outcome reinforced just how unpredictable the women’s tour can be.
Meanwhile, Karolina Muchova, returning for her first match since a US Open quarterfinal exit, faced Paula Badosa—a player whose baseline power is as formidable as her recent inconsistency. Muchova looked sharp and focused, but the match took a somber turn when Badosa, plagued by recurring injuries, was forced to retire after just six games due to a left thigh issue. Badosa’s struggles have become a painful theme; she’s now retired from six tournaments over the past two years, with chronic back and thigh problems repeatedly derailing her promising campaigns. According to The Tennis Gazette, "Badosa received medical attention on her left thigh injury which she suffered at Wimbledon, and was left in tears in what turned out to be the final game of the match." This latest setback means Badosa will lose 325 ranking points and fall outside the WTA’s top 20—a tough blow for a player who had only just returned to action after a three-month layoff.
Elsewhere, McCartney Kessley continued her breakthrough run in Beijing, taking on former Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova. Kessley’s belief and grit were evident, but Krejcikova’s experience shone through, even as she herself has battled injuries throughout the season. In a twist of fate, Krejcikova was also forced to retire earlier in the tournament due to a knee injury, highlighting the physical toll the packed tennis calendar is taking on the sport’s elite. With both Beatriz Haddad Maia and Elina Svitolina already ending their seasons due to injury, the WTA’s injury list is growing alarmingly long.
The highly anticipated clash between Coco Gauff and Leylah Fernandez also grabbed headlines. Gauff, leading their head-to-head 3–0, came into the match brimming with confidence, having displayed her trademark hard-court prowess in the previous round. Fernandez, fresh off a dominant win over Maria Sakkari, looked ready to challenge the American star. Both players struck the ball cleanly and aggressively, making this their most competitive encounter yet. While Gauff’s consistency ultimately tipped the scales, Fernandez’s fighting spirit ensured the crowd got their money’s worth.
If the women’s draw was defined by injuries and comebacks, the men’s side at the China Open was all about survival and the relentless pursuit of the ATP Finals in Turin. Jannik Sinner, world No. 2 and a former Beijing champion, was made to sweat for his quarterfinal spot. Facing qualifier Terence Altmaier, Sinner endured a two-hour, 21-minute battle, eventually prevailing 6-4, 5-7, 6-0. After a shaky second set where he was broken three times, Sinner regrouped to deliver a bagel in the decider. "The game style he plays is quite unique and he is a lefty and we don’t have so many. He is a great, great player and has improved a lot again since Cincinnati," Sinner said of his opponent. He added, "Maybe the concentration went down a little bit at times and some nerves, but I am very happy to be through to the next round." Sinner’s victory keeps him firmly in second place in the Race to Turin, just behind Carlos Alcaraz, and he’ll be eager to apply pressure as the season winds down.
Not to be outdone, Alex de Minaur, the tournament’s third seed and currently eighth in the Race to Turin, survived a scare against Arthur Rinderknech. It took the Australian two hours and ten minutes to edge past the Frenchman 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(2). With several players hot on his heels for a coveted ATP Finals spot, every match is do-or-die for de Minaur, who now faces Czech seventh seed Jakub Mensik in the next round.
But perhaps the most shocking result of the week came in the women’s draw, where World No. 66 Eva Lys stunned Elena Rybakina in the third round. Rybakina, currently ranked No. 10, has developed a troubling habit in 2025: losing matches from winning positions. Lys’s victory marked her first-ever top 10 win, and for Rybakina, it was the sixth time this season she’s let a lead slip away. As Tennishead reported, "Rybakina’s loss against Lys was the sixth time the star has lost a match while either being a break up or having match points." This inability to close out matches has haunted her at both WTA 1000 events and Grand Slams, undermining what could have been a far more successful campaign.
Rybakina’s 2025 season, after a stellar 2024 where she captured three titles and reached two more finals, has been defined by near-misses and missed opportunities. Her lone title this year came at the WTA 500 Internationaux de Strasbourg, and her Grand Slam results have been underwhelming—fourth-round exits at the Australian Open, Roland Garros, and US Open, plus a third-round departure at Wimbledon. The defeat to Lys further complicates her quest to qualify for the WTA Tour Finals, a goal that seemed well within reach just months ago.
The China Open’s fifth and sixth days have laid bare the unforgiving nature of professional tennis. Injuries have derailed dreams, up-and-coming players have seized their moments, and the race for year-end championships has grown even fiercer. As the tournament barrels toward its conclusion, the only certainty is that more twists and turns lie ahead, with every match carrying the weight of ranking points, pride, and the hope of finishing the season on a high.
With the action still unfolding in Beijing, all eyes remain fixed on the courts. The next few days promise even more drama as the world’s best battle fatigue, form, and each other for a shot at glory. Stay tuned—this China Open is far from over.
