Cincinnati Open: Top seed Aryna Sabalenka stunned by Sara Bejlek in fourth round
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Sabalenka stunned by Bejlek as slump continues
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Sabalenka has reached just one semi-final since winning the Sunshine Double in March
Published 16 minutes ago
World number one Aryna Sabalenka suffered another surprise defeat, this time to Sara Bejlek in the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open.
The Belarusian was 5-1 up in the first-set tiebreak and 4-1 ahead in the second, but the Czech fought back to win 7-6 (9-7) 6-4.
Sabalenka’s position at the top of the rankings is now under threat, with Elena Rybakina in with a chance of dethroning her if she reaches the final.
The 28-year-old is aiming to become the first woman to win three successive US Open titles since Serena Williams in 2014.
However, her preparations for the New York major, which starts on Sunday, 30 August, have been far from ideal, with early losses in both Cincinnati and Toronto.
Since her "Sunshine Double" at Indian Wells and Miami in March, Sabalenka has reached just one semi-final, losing to Jessica Pegula in Berlin.
Meanwhile, Bejlek, ranked 35th in the world, has recorded her first win over a top-10 opponent, reaching a WTA 1000 quarter-final for the first time.
"I totally lost my words. I just kept believing and that was the key today," said the 20-year-old.
"She played amazing tennis and I was just believing, keep fighting and I was just trying my best and that’s it."
Bejlek will face former Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the last eight.
In the men’s event on Wednesday, American Tommy Paul saved a match point en route to knocking out top seed Alexander Zverev.
The German, champion at the French Open, had won the first set and led 3-4 in the second before rain suspended play for 90 minutes.
But Zverev was unable to convert a match point at 6-5 in the second-set tie-break and Paul forced a decider.
Zverev led 4-2 in the third set before Paul won four straight games to complete a 4-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 victory and set up a quarter-final against Italy’s Flavio Cobolli.
