CINCINNATI, Aug 20 — World number one Aryna Sabalenka was sent spinning out of the fourth round of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters, beaten 7-6 (9/7), 6-4 by 35th-ranked Czech Sara Bejlek.
Sabalenka, who had cruised through the previous round, was ambushed by the 20-year-old, whose movement left the top seed searching for answers in a yesterday night contest completed shortly after the clock ticked past midnight into today morning.
Sabalenka was up a break in the 65-minute opening set and then led 5-1 in the tiebreaker before Bejlek roared back.
Bejlek broke the Belarusian star three times in the second set and secured the win with a love service game capped by an ace.
Aryna Sabalenka returns a shot during a match against Sara Bejlek of Czechia on day nine of the Cincinnati Open at Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 20, 2026 in Mason, Ohio. — AFP pic “I lost my words — it feels incredible,” Bejlek said after making her first win over a top-10 player a triumph over the No. 1.
Bejlek, who won the Abu Dhabi hard court title in February as a qualifier, booked a quarter-final meeting with American Madison Keys.
It was yet another setback for Sabalenka as the start of the US Open looms on August 30.
The four-time Grand Slam champion was ousted in the fourth round of the Toronto Masters last week, having lost in the same round at Wimbledon and in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros. — AFP
