Sabalenka makes dominant start to China Open, Osaka and Andreeva progress

[p]The world number two from Belarus next faces Czech player [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bartunkova-nikola/84ILHaZ4/"]Nikola Bartunkova[/a] in the round of 32.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Sabalenka[/a] groaned over a smattering of unforced errors during the 62-minute match but had the clear edge over Mexico's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zarazua-renata/6TlRnRze/"]Zarazua[/a], ranked 94th, breaking to win [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/sabalenka-a-vyhksgUB/zarazua-r-6TlRnRze/?mid=vTNJUcmm"]on the second time of asking[/a].[/p][p][b]"I was just trying to stay focused on myself. Tried to stay aggressive on my serve, on the return as well,"[/b] the 28-year-old said.[/p][p][b]"So happy with the game I played today."[/b][/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="967dc042-3a4b-4c72-9e85-c8078cf09762" credit-line="Flashscore" hidden-attrs="alt, credit" guid="4730870e-793e-45de-8056-7ce48360c2e1" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Next on centre court, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/djokovic-novak/AZg49Et9/"]Novak Djokovic[/a] was scheduled to play Chinese world no. 104 [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/yunchaokete-bu/Qabjt3Y5/"]Bu Yunchaokete[/a] in the second round of the men's 500-level event also taking place.[/p][p]The 39-year-old Serbian great owns six titles from the China Open and is looking to extend an extraordinary unbeaten streak in Beijing.[/p][h2]Osaka and Andreeva through[/h2][p]Earlier on Friday, Japan's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/osaka-naomi/MDM4BKiA/"]Naomi Osaka[/a] wrestled back control to survive her second-round clash with Uzbekistan's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/timofeeva-maria/Em3nvKqP/"]Maria Timofeeva[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/osaka-n-MDM4BKiA/timofeeva-m-Em3nvKqP/?mid=veKX7faK"]6-3, 3-6, 6-3[/a].[/p][p]The four-time Grand Slam champion next plays [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bejlek-sara/jVCKq0LH/"]Sara Bejlek[/a] of the Czech Republic.[/p][p]French Open champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/andreeva-mirra/lI6fOOat/"]Mirra Andreeva[/a] of Russia overcame a first-set wobble to beat Chinese wildcard [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/yuan-yue-1998/2yj9GWan/"]Yuan Yue[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/andreeva-m-lI6fOOat/yuan-y-2yj9GWan/?mid=t0OdtxKa"]3-6, 6-0, 6-0[/a].[/p][p]Wimbledon winner [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/noskova-linda/zHMiAkw6/"]Linda Noskova[/a], a 2025 Beijing finalist, beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ruse-elena-gabriela/ra7IoKGO/"]Elena-Gabriela Ruse[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/noskova-l-zHMiAkw6/ruse-g-ra7IoKGO/?mid=EHSopi7D"]6-4, 6-1[/a].[/p][embed guid="cb7e48e1-1186-403b-8eeb-2a34e483015c" url="https://x.com/WTA/status/2105888310040416451" social-type="twitter" /][p]Andreeva next faces Uzbekistan's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kudermetova-polina/8O9jYpK8/"]Polina Kudermetova[/a], and Noskova will meet Switzerland's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/golubic-viktorija/x0QCtJlk/"]Viktorija Golubic[/a] in the third round.[/p][p]In the men's draw, a series of searing forehands from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/medvedev-daniil/O8qG0Nhb/"]Daniil Medvedev[/a] sent qualifier [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/carreno-busta-pablo/W8WmcXdq/"]Pablo Carreno Busta[/a] home [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/carreno-busta-p-W8WmcXdq/medvedev-d-O8qG0Nhb/?mid=t6XWaUKl"]6-4, 6-2[/a], earning the Russian world number six a second-round meeting with Germany's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/struff-jan-lennard/Ek3bDDo2/"]Jan-Lennard Struff[/a].[/p]