Upset alert! Bartunkova stops Sabalenka in Round 3

Less than 24 hours after the top seed exited the women’s draw of the China Open, the No. 2 seed followed suit. 

In a shocking upset, Czechia’s crafty Nikola Bartunkova defeated second seed and former world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-3 in the third round. 

“It is the biggest win in my career,” said Bartunkova, the world’s No. 34, of the victory over the four-time grand slam champion. “Just really happy.”

Bartunkova will face Austria’s Sinja Kraus in the Round of 16. 

The tournament’s top-seed and world No. 1 Elena Rybakina lost 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 to Alina Charaeva on Saturday, leaving the China Open without its top two seeds in the first week of the tournament. 

Sabalenka, who was denied a three-peat at the U.S. Open last month, lost five chances to break serve in the first set as she continued her struggles in Beijing. The 28-year-old has never made it past the quarterfinals in five appearances. 

Bartukova held strong against Sabalenka’s powerful serve, matching her ace tally with four apiece. Bartunkova was far more effective and efficient in her service games, winning 24 of 29 first-serve points. 

“She also serves well, so you have to convert your chances against her,” Sabalenka said.

Bartunkova remained a perfectionist about her serve.

“I think I could be better,” Bartunkova said. “I need to improve it.”

Bartunkova was also perfect on break points saved, wiping away all five chances created by Sabalenka. 

Bartunkova and Sabalenka faced each other one time before. Sabalenka won 2-6 7-6(2) 6-4 in the quarterfinals of this year’s WTA 500 grass tournament in Berlin. The close match in Berlin boosted Bartunkova’s confidence going into Sunday’s match. 

“I didn’t forget because I played great tennis with her and I lost, but it was a very close match,” Bartunkova said. “I knew that I can play with (top players).”

An understandably frustrated Sabalenka tossed her racquet after going down a break in the fourth game of the second set. Her efforts to break Bartunkova’s serve proved ineffective down the stretch, as she as unable to generate a break point chance in the second set. 

Bartunkova did not have much time to soak in her win, as she headed straight to her doubles match with her partner Maja Chwalinska. Bartunkova kept it a winning day as the pair defeated Caty McNally and Janice Tjen 6-2, 6-2 in just 68 minutes.

Tuesday’s match will be Bartunkova’s  second Round of 16 appearance in a WTA 1000 event this year. 

“It’s an unbelievable year for me,” she said. “I didn’t expect before this year that I will play like this and I will be here like this.”

By Sierra Hanson