By taking Aryna Sabalenka to the brink, the 20-year-old qualifier Nikola Bartunkova produced the performance of her career at the Berlin Tennis Open yesterday. The Czech dominated for a set and a half before the top seed staged a stunning comeback from 6-2, 4-0 down to claim a 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4 victory in 2 hours and 23 minutes. Yet, in defeat, the qualifier left Germany’s grass courts with heads turning, pushing the top seed to the edge of a shocking upset.

“She played incredible tennis, not much I could do. She was just smacking the ball; it was unbelievable level and honestly, I felt like it was her match,” Sabalenka said in her post-match interview. “Oh my god, what a player. What an incredible young girl, and a future superstar for sure.”

On the Steffi Graf Stadion yesterday, the 28-year-old struggled to find answers against the qualifier’s impressive variety. The Czech international mixed clever slices with perfectly timed drop shots through the baseline, making life extremely difficult for the top seed.

At the end, those tactics helped Bartunkova seize complete control midway through the 2nd set. With Aryna Sabalenka trailing 6-2, 4-0, a huge upset looked almost certain.

However, just when defeat seemed unavoidable for the 4-time Grand Slam champion, something changed. A slight adjustment in her game, along with a bit of good fortune, completely shifted the momentum.

The top seed suddenly caught fire, winning 8 of the next 10 games. During that stretch, she even saved a crucial break point that would have given Bartunkova a 5-2 advantage after the 20-year-old opponent narrowly missed another drop shot.

Later she dominated the tie-break, winning the final 6 points to force a deciding 3rd set. The momentum then carried into the last set as well set as Aryna Sabalenka broke serve in the opening game before holding comfortably for a 2-0 lead. 

Still, Bartunkova refused to back down from the third game and fought back from a break deficit 2-times to edge ahead 4-3, moving within two games of a stunning victory.

In the end, the Belarusian found the answers when they mattered most. A brilliant forehand winner gave her the chance to serve for the match at 5-4, and another similar forehand secured her place in the SF. 

While the Belarusian now prepares for the last four, she also left convinced that her QF opponent has all the qualities to become tennis’s next breakout star.

Aryna Sabalenka defeated Nikola Bartunkova after regaining her rhythm at the Steffi Graf Stadion

For the top seed, the Berlin Tennis Open began in far more comfortable fashion. In the R16, she defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova in straight sets to book her place in the QF.

However, her next challenge was a completely different story. Qualifier Nikola Bartunkova pushed the world No. 1 to the edge of a shocking defeat in the German capital.

But while Sabalenka refused to give up, the Belarusian explained how rediscovering her rhythm helped turn the contest around in the second set.

“I think when I (made) a couple approaches to the net on my serve in that 4-0 game, it gave me a little bit of confidence that maybe I can show her that I still have something left,” Sabalenka added. “I don’t know, I was just trying to stay in the game. I tried to find the rhythm, and I honestly think it was just a lucky match.”

Although Bartunkova fell short, the 20-year-old once again showed why many believe she is close to a breakthrough on the current WTA Tour. 

The young Czech superstar has already proved she can thrive on grass. For example, earlier this year’s grass-court season, she reached the final of the Birmingham Open with a series of impressive performances before losing to Alexandra Eala.

Sabalenka, on the other hand, now shifts her focus to American Jessica Pegula in the Berlin SF. The world No. 1 leads their H2H 9-3, with her last win coming at the WTA Finals last year.

But after surviving one huge scare already this week, Sabalenka knows another difficult test is waiting.