“Definitely doesn’t feel real for me right now, I don’t know when the realisation will kick in,” said a jubilant German rising star who, at just 5’4″, is one of the diminutive players on the tour. Still, she turned heads down under this year after making it to the fourth round in Melbourne and creating history as a Lucky Loser. Guess what? The 23-year-old WTA star has now earned yet another milestone. And that, too, against a former Wimbledon champion and hard-hitter Elena Rybakina. The China Open just witnessed its first major upset, thanks to… Eva Lys.

Eva Lys stunned the former World No.3 and Kazakh star player in Beijing, in R32, on Sunday morning. The contest on paper looked one-sided, in favor of Rybakina. However, the outcome was a far cry from reality. In a high-intensity battle, Lys managed to emerge victorious against Rybakina. She snatched the first set before Rybakina tried to level the fight in the second. But the German pro held her nerve and bested the 2023 Australian Open finalist with a final scoreline of 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 in two hours and 14 minutes.

It was Lys’ biggest first top 10 win of her WTA career. And her reaction said it all after entering the fourth round at the China Open. “I was trying to get a top 10 win the whole year. This is my first one. I’m very happy I finally got it done.” The world No.66 added, “The last time I faced a top 10 player, I didn’t win.. I lost a couple match points. I really hoped I’d do it today.”

The win also became special for Lys as it was her first against Rybakina. Previously, the latter led the H2H tally 1-0 after she bested Lys at the Italian Open back in May this season. Now the scores are settled for sure. “I’ve already outdone myself,” said the German.

With this result, Lys has earned her best campaign at the China Open. In 2023, she made it to the R64 before losing to Jelena Ostapenko. So how does it feel now? “Being in the fourth round for the first time is a nice feeling, so I’m just enjoying everything. I’m enjoying the fans, the good, big courts — I’m just really happy.”

But what about Rybakina? Well, Lys trampled her hopes of qualifying for the year-end WTA Finals in Riyadh. If not completely, she will have a tough road ahead to earn her spot.

Elena Rybakina’s WTA Finals dream takes a massive hit

Elena Rybakina is currently ranked No.10. She needs to stay in the top 8 to confirm her place in the WTA Finals. Before the China Open, it looked easy – but not anymore. Had she made a deep run in Beijing, Rybakina would have strengthened her chances of securing a ticket to Riyadh.

But with the loss against Lys, Italy’s Jasmine Paolini has got a golden opportunity. If Paolini makes a better run than the Kazakh star in Beijing, she will enter the top 8. And if that happens, Rybakina will eventually miss out on the WTA Finals this season.

In the race to the WTA Finals, Rybakina is still at the eighth position in live rankings. She has got 3,751 ranking points. On the other hand, Paolini is behind her with 3,526 ranking points. The difference is just 225 points. When the list gets updated this Monday, Rybakina would have lost several points after her third round exit in Beijing. On the other hand, Paolini is yet to play her third round on Sunday against Sofia Kenin. It will be intriguing to see how that match transpires.

The Kazakh’s chances of reaching the WTA finals hinges on the outcome of Paolini’s match – Paolini’s loss to safeguard her chances for Riyadh. Do you think Rybakina will be out of the race? Let us know in the comments below.