Marketa Vondrousova produced a commanding performance to defeat world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday and reach the final of the Berlin Open. The victory marks the Czech’s first final appearance since her Wimbledon triumph in 2023 and her maiden win over a reigning world No. 1.
The 24-year-old, currently ranked 164 after an injury-hit season, was in complete control on the grass, breaking Sabalenka twice in the opening set and saving both break points she faced. Her measured approach and powerful serving proved decisive, wrapping up the match in just 80 minutes.
“I feel like on grass you have to take risks, you know, and that was the point,” said Vondrousova. “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.”
Sabalenka, who had saved four match points in her quarter-final win over Elena Rybakina, was unable to repeat her escape. She committed 30 unforced errors, compared to just 12 from the composed and clinical Vondrousova.
The Czech left-hander has endured a difficult stretch since suffering a shoulder injury last July, forcing her to miss three months of the current season. Unseeded in Berlin, she entered the tournament simply hoping for a solid start. “When I saw the field, I was like, okay, let’s try to win the first round, and now this is happening,” she said. “So thank you guys for the support.”
Vondrousova will face China’s Wang Xinyu in Sunday’s final. The 23-year-old qualifier continued her dream run with a resounding 6-4, 6-1 victory over Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova in just an hour and 15 minutes, booking a place in her first career final.
Wang, ranked 49th in the world, broke Samsonova twice in the first set and converted her fourth set point to close it out. She maintained her momentum in the second, breaking twice more and saving two break points to seal a dominant win.
The Chinese star’s impressive campaign in the German capital has included a straight-sets victory over second seed Coco Gauff in the round of 16, marking a significant breakthrough week for the young player.
Sunday’s final will feature two unseeded players, each on a resurgent path — one a Grand Slam champion returning from injury, the other a rising talent making her mark on the tour.