Marketa Vondrousova ousts top seed Aryna Sabalenka to reach Berlin final

BERLIN – Marketa Vondrousova powered past world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-4 at the Berlin Open on June 21 to book a place in her first final since she won Wimbledon in 2023.

The 25-year-old Czech controlled the tempo from the outset with surprisingly big serving on grass as she wrapped up the win in 1hr 20min.

She broke the Belarusian twice in the first set while saving both break points she faced.

The second set saw the players trade early breaks and Sabalenka saved two break points to stay in touch at 3-2, before the match settled into a rhythm at 4-4.

Sabalenka, who saved four match points against Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals, could not repeat that escape as Vondrousova broke for 5-4 and served it out on her first match point with an ace.

“I feel like on grass you have to take risks, you know, and that was the point; I was like, okay, let’s try. The match would continue otherwise, so you have to go for it. I was feeling really well today so, yeah, I’m just very happy,” Vondrousova said.

“I didn’t play for a long time, so I’m just so happy to be back healthy and so grateful to play these matches. When I saw the field, I was like, okay, let’s try to win the first round, and now this is happening. So thank you guys for the support.”

While Sabalenka struggled to find consistency, racking up 30 unforced errors, Vondrousova stayed measured and composed throughout, limiting her own tally to 12. She will play Wang Xinyu in the June 22 final after the Chinese qualifier downed Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova 6-4, 6-1.

While Vondrousova had previously defeated Sabalenka, this marked her first career win over a world No. 1.

Currently ranked 164th, the Czech has battled injuries since July 2024 and entered Berlin unseeded after missing three months this season with a shoulder injury.

Over at Queen’s Club, another Czech – world No. 30 Jiri Lehecka – made waves by becoming the first man from his country to reach an ATP grass-court final for 15 years as he downed sixth-ranked Jack Draper of Britain 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.

The last Czech man to reach a top-level grass-court final was Tomas Berdych at Wimbledon in 2010 and the last to do so at Queen’s was Ivan Lendl in 1990.

Lehecka’s opponent in the June 22 final will be world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz, who defeated fellow Spaniard and 51st-ranked Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 6-4 in the other semi-final.

Meanwhile, home favourite Alexander Zverev crashed out of the semi-finals in Halle, losing 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (1-7), 6-4 to Russian Daniil Medvedev.

Medvedev will meet the winner of the other semi-final between Russian Karen Khachanov and Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan, which ended after press time.

Off the court, men’s world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who lost to Bublik in the second round at Halle, has turned his hand to music by releasing a duet on June 20 with the renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.

The song, Polvere E Gloria (Dust And Glory), features the three-time Grand Slam champion, not singing but repeating parts of his winning and losing speeches, which he recorded at the 66-year-old’s studio in Tuscany.

“I am very happy and honoured to be part of this project with Andrea, who for 30 years has been a unique and extraordinary voice – a flag for our country in the rest of the world,” said Sinner.

“I could never have imagined hearing my voice in one of his songs. It’s extremely moving.”

The track features both Italian and English lyrics.

The accompanying video captures Sinner and Bocelli, two of the world’s most famous Italians, seated at a piano in a tranquil countryside scene.

It also features personal images from the duo’s childhoods, along with scenes filmed as they collaborated at Bocelli’s estate.

Sinner won the US Open in 2024 and the Australian Open in 2024 and 2025, among 19 ATP titles.

Since his return from a three-month doping ban in May, Sinner has reached the finals of the Masters 1000 in Rome and the French Open, losing both times to his great rival Alcaraz. AFP, REUTERS