Sara Bejlek Shocks Aryna Sabalenka at Cincinnati Open

In a thrilling match at the Cincinnati Open, Sara Bejlek stunned World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka with a 7-6 (7), 6-4 victory. This win marks Bejlek's first entry into the quarterfinals of a WTA 1000 tournament and her first victory over a top-ranked player. After a challenging start, Bejlek showcased her resilience, leveling the match and ultimately serving out the win. She will next face Madison Keys in what promises to be an exciting quarterfinal showdown. Read on to discover more about this remarkable upset and Bejlek's journey in the tournament.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 20, 2026, 12:51 IST

Major Upset at Cincinnati Open

File image of Sara Bejlek(Photo: @betbugstennis/X)

Cincinnati, Aug 19: In a stunning turn of events at the Cincinnati Open, World No. 35 Sara Bejlek triumphed over top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, winning 7-6 (7), 6-4.

This victory marks Bejlek's first entry into the quarterfinals of a WTA 1000 tournament and her inaugural win against a top-ranked player on the WTA Tour.

Bejlek's achievement in reaching the quarterfinals is significant, as it is only her fifth appearance at this level in WTA events, following her previous quarterfinals in Prague and Abu Dhabi in 2025 and 2026, as well as Athens in 2026. Notably, she is the only player in this year's quarterfinals who has yet to secure a WTA 1000 title.

Initially, Bejlek found herself trailing after Sabalenka took a 2-0 lead. However, the 20-year-old Czech player quickly regained her footing, breaking back immediately. The two players exchanged breaks before heading into a tiebreak, where Bejlek surged to a 5-1 advantage, according to WTA reports.

Despite Sabalenka's efforts to level the tiebreak at 5-5, Bejlek clinched the first set 7-6 (9-7) on her third set point.

In the second set, Sabalenka initially led 4-1, but Bejlek once again demonstrated her resilience, leveling the score at 4-4. She then broke Sabalenka's serve to lead 5-4 and served out the match to complete her victory in just under two hours.

"I feel incredible. I lost totally my words. I just keep believing and that was the key today. She played amazing tennis and I was just believing, keep fighting and I was just trying my best and that's it," Bejlek expressed after her remarkable win.

Next, Bejlek will face American Madison Keys, the 2019 champion, in her first-ever WTA 1000 quarterfinal.