Sara Bejlek defeated Aryna Sabalenka, 7-6, 6-4, in the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open.
The 20-year-old delivered one of the finest performances of her young career to knock out the world number one, Sabalenka, in straight sets.
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Bejlek was understandably delighted after the win, having booked her place in the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals.
Sara Bejlek admits she ‘wasn’t really thinking’ during shock Aryna Sabalenka win
During her post-match interview, Bejlek struggled to find the words to describe the biggest win of her career.
“I lost my words,” she said.
“Yeah, it feels incredible. I’m super happy; yeah, I don’t have any words.”
The Czech youngster was then asked to explain her gameplan.
“I was just playing what I was feeling; I wasn’t really thinking. What I felt, I played,” said Bejlek.
Sara Bejlek vs Aryna Sabalenka – Match stats
| Stats | Sara Bejlek | Aryna Sabalenka |
| Aces | 3 | 0 |
| Double faults | 0 | 4 |
| 1st Serve % | 67% | 49% |
| Win % on 1st Serve | 67% | 63% |
| Win % on 2nd Serve | 39% | 50% |
| Break points | 5/11 | 4/6 |
“That was the key; I was trying not to be nervous and just play, and that’s it.”
Bejlek then shared how much confidence she will take from the win.
Sara Bejlek’s biggest wins by rankings
- 2026 Cincinnati Open 4R [WIN] vs #1 Aryna Sabalenka, 7-6, 6-4
- 2026 Abu Dhabi Open F [WIN] vs #11 Ekaterina Alexandrova, 7-6, 6-1
- 2026 Abu Dhabi Open SF [WIN] vs #16 Clara Tauson, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5
- 2026 Cincinnati Open 3R [WIN] vs #18 Ekaterina Alexandrova, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
- 2026 Abu Dhabi Open 2R [WIN] vs #24 Jelena Ostapenko, 6-4, 6-3
“A lot, a lot!” she said.
“I just kept believing [in] this match, and I was believing no matter what.
“There were a lot of ups and downs, and I just made it, so I’m very happy.”
Finally, Bejlek had a message for the fans in Cincinnati.
“Thank you guys, you were amazing, and you helped me a lot,” she said.
“So thank you very much for coming, and I hope to see you for the next match!”
Bejlek will return to take on Madison Keys in the quarter-finals.
The Czech is the only unseeded player remaining in the draw, but that won’t bother her.
Earlier this year, Bejlek won the Abu Dhabi Open WTA 500 event as a qualifier, and will look to pull off a similar upset at the Cincinnati Open.
2026 Cincinnati Open quarter-finals
- Sara Bejlek vs [20] Madison Keys
- [4] Coco Gauff vs [10] Marta Kostyuk
- [9] Amanda Anisimova vs [3] Jessica Pegula
- [7] Iga Swiatek vs [2] Elena Rybakina
She will return to play her quarter-final match on Friday, August 21.
Aryna Sabalenka’s poor form continues ahead of the US Open
It was a great day for Bejlek, but on the opposite side of the net, Sabalenka’s struggles continued.
The world number one hasn’t won a title since she completed the Sunshine Double in March, and is now at risk of losing top spot in the world rankings.
Live WTA Rankings
| Rank | Name | Country | Points |
| 1 | Aryna Sabalenka | Belarus | 8,575 |
| 2 | Elena Rybakina | Kazakhstan | 8,141 |
| 3 | Jessica Pegula | USA | 6,830 |
| 4 | Coco Gauff | USA | 5,919 |
| 5 | Mirra Andreeva | Russia | 5,433 |
If Elena Rybakina reaches the final in Cincinnati, she will become world number one for the very first time, ending Sabalenka’s 96-week stint at the top.
But the concerns for Sabalenka are deeper than the rankings.
The Belarusian looked dominant on hard courts earlier this year, winning titles in Brisbane, Indian Wells, and Miami, as well as reaching the Australian Open final.
Poor clay and grass-court seasons were worrying, but many expected Sabalenka to bounce back when she returned to her favourite surface.
Unfortunately for the 28-year-old, that hasn’t happened.
Sabalenka lost in the fourth round of both WTA 1000 events before the US Open.
Whether she can bounce back at Flushing Meadows remains to be seen, but it’s not looking great for fans of the world number one.
The 2026 US Open main draw begins on Sunday, August 30.
