Sara Bejlek stuns no.1 Sabalenka in Cincinnati shock

World number one Aryna Sabalenka suffered another unexpected setback on the road to the US Open after Czech youngster Sara Bejlek produced the biggest win of her career to knock the top seed out of the Cincinnati Open.

The 20-year-old Bejlek, ranked 35th in the world, stunned the four-time Grand Slam champion 7-6 (9/7), 6-4 in a dramatic fourth-round contest that finished shortly after midnight on Thursday.

The result marked Bejlek’s first victory over a top-10 opponent, and she achieved it against the player currently sitting at the top of the women’s rankings. Her ability to move quickly around the court and change the pace of rallies repeatedly frustrated Sabalenka, who struggled to impose her usual powerful game.

Sabalenka appeared to have control of the opening set when she secured an early break. She also seemed firmly in charge during the tiebreak, racing into a 5-1 lead. But Bejlek refused to let the opportunity slip away.

The Czech fought back point by point, leveling the tiebreak before eventually taking it 9-7 on her third set point. The turnaround gave Bejlek a major psychological advantage heading into the second set.

Sabalenka again looked comfortable early in the next set, moving into a 4-1 lead. Bejlek, however, once again found a way back. Her speed, defensive skills and variety forced the Belarusian into uncomfortable positions as the Czech won three breaks of serve.

With the score tied at 4-4, Bejlek raised her level at the crucial moment. She broke Sabalenka to move 5-4 ahead before serving for the match. She completed the upset with a love service game, finishing with an ace to seal one of the biggest victories of her young career.

“I lost my words; it feels incredible,” Bejlek said after the match.

Her breakthrough continues an impressive 2026 season. Bejlek won the Abu Dhabi hard-court title as a qualifier in February and has now reached her first WTA 1000 quarter-final. She will face American Madison Keys for a place in the semi-finals.

For Sabalenka, the defeat adds to a difficult stretch before the final Grand Slam of the season. She was eliminated in the fourth round of the Toronto Masters last week, while she also exited Wimbledon in the fourth round and Roland Garros in the quarter-finals.

With the US Open beginning on August 30, Sabalenka now has limited time to regain her confidence. Meanwhile, Bejlek leaves Cincinnati with momentum, belief and a victory that could become a defining moment in her rapidly developing career.

The upset also underlines the unpredictable nature of the WTA Tour, where even the world’s top player can be pushed aside when a determined young challenger finds her best tennis at the right moment.