Aryna Sabalenka‘s US Open preparations suffered another setback at the Cincinnati Open, as the Belarusian handed Sara Bejlek her first Top 10 victory while allowing Elena Rybakina to move closer to taking over the world No.1 ranking.
Sabalenka led 5-1 in the opening-set tiebreak and was up 4-1 in the second, but world No.35 Bejlek produced two remarkable comebacks to stun the top seed 7-6(7) 6-4 in the fourth round.
The result has opened the door for Rybakina to claim the No.1 ranking. The Kazakhstani will face Iga Swiatek in a blockbuster Cincinnati quarterfinal, knowing that a run to the final would be enough to knock Sabalenka off the summit.
For Sabalenka, the loss is another worrying sign just days before she begins her bid for a third consecutive US Open title. The 28-year-old is attempting to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to win the New York major three years in a row, but her hard-court preparations have been far from ideal.
Sabalenka has now suffered early defeats in both Cincinnati and Toronto. Since completing the Indian Wells-Miami Sunshine Double in March, she has reached only one semifinal, losing to Jessica Pegula in Berlin.
Bejlek, meanwhile, has pulled off the biggest win of her career. The Czech had never beaten a Top 10 opponent before this week and had never reached the quarterfinals of a WTA 1000 tournament.
The 20-year-old’s breakthrough is particularly impressive given that she began the year by winning the Abu Dhabi title as a qualifier. She will now attempt to continue her Cincinnati run against former Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the quarterfinals.
