Sabalenka crashes out of Cincinnati after Bejlek stunner

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka suffered another early exit ahead of the US Open after 35th-ranked Czech teenager Sara Bejlek stunned her 7-6 (9/7), 6-4 in the fourth round of the Cincinnati Masters.

Sabalenka, who had eased through her previous match, found herself outplayed by the 20-year-old Bejlek, whose exceptional movement frustrated the top seed in a contest that stretched past midnight into Thursday.

Sabalenka appeared in control after taking a break in the opening set and then building a 5-1 lead in the tiebreak. However, Bejlek produced a remarkable comeback to snatch the set.

The Czech then broke Sabalenka three times in the second set before serving out the match to love, sealing the biggest victory of her career with an ace.

“I lost my words – it feels incredible,” Bejlek said after claiming her first victory over a top-10 player and immediately making it a win against the world No. 1.

Bejlek, who won the Abu Dhabi hard-court title in February after coming through qualifying, will face American Madison Keys in the quarter-finals.

The defeat adds to a frustrating run for Sabalenka with the US Open beginning on August 30. The four-time Grand Slam champion was knocked out in the fourth round of the Toronto Masters last week, having also fallen at the same stage at Wimbledon and in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros.

With inputs from AFP