China Open Upset
Nikola Bartunkova Upsets Aryna Sabalenka to Advance at China Open
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Key Points
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The 20-year-old Bartunkova hit four aces and completed the upset in one hour and 35 minutes.
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Bartunkova said she focused on staying calm, adding of Sabalenka: “She’s a legend... so I’m really happy that I won the match.”
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Sabalenka tossed her racquet during the fourth game of the second set and lost the match when her return went into the net on match point.
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Bartunkova’s round-of-16 opponent, Sinja Kraus, reached that stage by beating Dayana Yastremska 6-1, 6-4.
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Bartunkova was also scheduled to play doubles with Poland’s Maja Chwalinska, against Katie McNally and Janice Tjen.
Czech player Nikola Bartunkova pulled off a major upset at the China Open, defeating second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-3 in the third round ESPN. The 20-year-old's straight-set victory eliminated one of the tournament's top seeds and left the women's draw without both its top two competitors, following Elena Rybakina's earlier exit Citizen Digital.
Bartunkova completed the upset in just one hour and 35 minutes, saving five break points in the opening set while holding firm in the second Daily Hunt. She will face Austria's Sinja Kraus in the round of 16, after Kraus beat Dayana Yastremska 6-1, 6-4.
Bartunkova Stays Composed Under Pressure
The 34th-ranked Bartunkova kept her nerves steady throughout the match despite facing a world-class opponent. She hit four aces and controlled the points she needed most. "She's a legend," Bartunkova said of Sabalenka after the win. "So I'm really happy that I won the match." UBItennis
Sabalenka's Frustration Builds Late in Match
Sabalenka's composure cracked during the second set. She tossed her racquet during the fourth game as the match slipped away. The match ended when Sabalenka's return sailed into the net on match point Daily Jagran. The loss marked another shock elimination from the tournament.
Top Two Seeds Fall in Historic Upset
Bartunkova's win continues a stunning collapse in the women's draw. With Sabalenka's defeat following Rybakina's early exit, the China Open is without its top two seeds — a rarity UBItennis. The last time both top two women's seeds fell before the quarterfinals was over a decade ago. Bartunkova's next test will come against Kraus in a bid to advance further.
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