Latest news with #BerlinOpen
NBC Sports
4 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Marketa Vondrousova stuns Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-4 to make Berlin Open final
BERLIN — Marketa Vondrousova upset top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-4 in their semifinal Saturday to set up a showdown with Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu in the final of the Berlin Open. Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, needed 1 hour and 21 minutes for her first win over a reigning No. 1. Sabalenka staged a comeback Friday by saving four match points against Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals. She had won all seven semifinals she played in this year but couldn't find a response against the 164th-ranked Vondrousova, who missed three months of the season with a shoulder injury. Sunday's final will be Vondrousova's first since she won at Wimbledon. Wang beat Liudmila Samsonova 6-4, 6-1 in their semifinal earlier Saturday to move into her first final.
Observer
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Observer
Vondrousova ousts Sabalenka to reach Berlin final
BERLIN: Marketa Vondrousova powered past world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-2 6-4 at the Berlin Open on Saturday to book a place in her first final since she won Wimbledon in 2023. Czech Vondrousova controlled the tempo from the outset with surprisingly big serving on grass as she wrapped up the win in one hour and 20 minutes. 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 on Friday, 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 either Russian Liudmila Samsonova or Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu in Sunday's final. Despite previous wins over Sabalenka, this was Vondrousova's first career victory against a reigning number one. Currently ranked 164, the Czech has battled injuries since July 2024 and entered Berlin unseeded after missing three months this season with a shoulder injury.
BBC News
7 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Vondrousova stuns Sabalenka to reach Berlin Open final
Marketa Vondrousova beat world number one Aryna Sabalenka at the Berlin Open to reach her first final since winning the 2023 Wimbledon title. Vondrousova, who has been working her way back from shoulder surgery and is ranked 164th in the world, came through 6-2 6-4 and will play Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu in Sunday's showpiece in Germany."I didn't play for a long time. I am just happy to be back healthy and so grateful to play these matches," Czech Vondrousova said on the WTA Tour website."When I saw the field here, I was like, 'OK, let's just try to win the first round' and then, you know, now this is happening."Sabalenka saved two break points in the opening game but was broken in her second service game and again to trail 5-2 in the first three-time Grand Slam champion sealed a break at the first time of asking to lead 2-0 in the second but Vondrousova hit back immediately.A tense scrap ensued with the set staying on serve until 25-year-old Vondrousova broke for 5-4 and then served out the beat 2021 Berlin Open champion Liudmila Samsonova 6-4 6-1 in the other semi-final to reach her first WTA singles final."This week has been a dream for me," Wang said. "Coming into every match, I wasn't expecting anything, it was really just to enjoy the stage." Medvedev sees off second seed Zverev In another of the grass-court events leading up to Wimbledon, Daniil Medvedev held off a fightback from world number three Alexander Zverev to win 7-6 (7-3) 6-7 (1-7) 6-4 and reach Sunday's Halle Open will be a first final in 15 months for Medvedev, who will take on world number 45 Alexander Bublik after the Kazakh beat eighth seed Karen Khachanov 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4. After taking the opening set against Zverev on a tie-break, world number 11 Medvedev wasted three match points in the second set, and required three hours and one minute to get the job done."I am happy with my level, I played great," Medvedev said. "I would have loved to finish on the match points [in the second set]. The first one I went for it and missed it. "The second one I went a bit slower to wait for a mistake and he made a great point. I am happy to win in the end."As was the case during his quarter-final victory on Friday, Medvedev needed treatment for a nosebleed at 4-4 in the opening Russian has lost five ATP finals in succession, with his last triumph coming at the Italian Open in May 2023.
Leader Live
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
Emma Raducanu handed tough draw at Eastbourne on return from back injury
The 22-year-old has been troubled by the issue since competing at Strasbourg in May ahead of the French Open. Former US Open champion Raducanu took an off-court medical timeout during her quarter-final loss to Zheng Qinwen at Queen's Club last week, after which it was confirmed she would miss the Berlin Open, having been offered a wild card into the WTA 500 event. All set on the South Coast 🌤️ Draws for the Brits & preview of the #LexusEastbourneOpen 👇 — LTA (@the_LTA) June 21, 2025 Raducanu had instead looked to prioritise rest and recovery to ensure she is fully fit for Wimbledon, which begins on June 30. At last year's LTA event on the south coast, Raducanu claimed a first victory over a top-10 player by defeating Jessica Pegula before going on to make the fourth round at Wimbledon. Seeded seventh in the draw for Eastbourne, Raducanu has been handed a first-round match against American Ann Li. Should Raducanu progress through the top half of the draw, she could then come up against two-time Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur in the second round. Defending Eastbourne champion Daria Kasatkina, the Australian world number 16, is also a potential opponent in the quarter-finals. Speaking about her fitness issues after playing at Queen's, Raducanu said: 'It's been lingering for the last few weeks and I have had back issues before. 'I think it's just a vulnerability of mine. I know I need to take good care of it. 'I'm not overly concerned that it's something serious, but I know it's something that's very annoying and needs proper and careful management.' Raducanu spent the afternoon at Queen's, watching US Open doubles partner Carlos Alcaraz as he looked to secure a spot in the final.
The Advertiser
9 hours ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Vondrousova downs Sabalenka to reach Berlin final
Marketa Vondrousova has powered past world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-2 6-4 at the Berlin Open to book a place in her first final since she won Wimbledon in 2023. Czech Vondrousova controlled the tempo from the outset on Saturday with powerful serving on the grass as she wrapped up the win in one hour and 20 minutes. She will now meet Wang Xinyu in Sunday's final of the Wimbledon warm-up after the Chinese qualifier beat Liudmila Samsonova, the 2021 Berlin champion, 6-4 6-1. Vondrousova 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 on Friday, 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. While Sabalenka struggled to find consistency, racking up 30 unforced errors, Vondrousova stayed measured and composed throughout, limiting her own tally to 12. Despite previous wins over Sabalenka, this was Vondrousova's first career victory against a reigning No.1. Currently ranked 164, the Czech has battled injuries since July 2024 and entered Berlin unseeded after missing three months this season with a shoulder injury. Vondrousova now faces Wang Xinyu who beat Russian Samsonova in an hour and 15 minutes to reach the first final of her career. After securing the first break of the match, Wang built up a 5-2 lead before Samsonova hit back to narrow the gap. But Wang held firm, converting her fourth set point to break again and close out the set. Wang dominated the second set, breaking for 3-1 and saving two break points to hold for 4-1. She broke again for 5-1 on her fourth chance and calmly served out the match. The 23-year-old Wang, ranked 49th in the world, has enjoyed a breakout week in the German capital, beating second seed Coco Gauff in the round of 16. "This week has been a dream for me. I've been playing unbelievable tennis here. I don't know, it's something with Berlin I guess," Wang said. "Coming to every match here, I wasn't expecting anything, you know. For me, it was really just to enjoy the stage... We're always saying that (you should) celebrate before the final because if you lose that, you don't celebrate anything for this incredible week." Marketa Vondrousova has powered past world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-2 6-4 at the Berlin Open to book a place in her first final since she won Wimbledon in 2023. Czech Vondrousova controlled the tempo from the outset on Saturday with powerful serving on the grass as she wrapped up the win in one hour and 20 minutes. She will now meet Wang Xinyu in Sunday's final of the Wimbledon warm-up after the Chinese qualifier beat Liudmila Samsonova, the 2021 Berlin champion, 6-4 6-1. Vondrousova 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 on Friday, 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. While Sabalenka struggled to find consistency, racking up 30 unforced errors, Vondrousova stayed measured and composed throughout, limiting her own tally to 12. Despite previous wins over Sabalenka, this was Vondrousova's first career victory against a reigning No.1. Currently ranked 164, the Czech has battled injuries since July 2024 and entered Berlin unseeded after missing three months this season with a shoulder injury. Vondrousova now faces Wang Xinyu who beat Russian Samsonova in an hour and 15 minutes to reach the first final of her career. After securing the first break of the match, Wang built up a 5-2 lead before Samsonova hit back to narrow the gap. But Wang held firm, converting her fourth set point to break again and close out the set. Wang dominated the second set, breaking for 3-1 and saving two break points to hold for 4-1. She broke again for 5-1 on her fourth chance and calmly served out the match. The 23-year-old Wang, ranked 49th in the world, has enjoyed a breakout week in the German capital, beating second seed Coco Gauff in the round of 16. "This week has been a dream for me. I've been playing unbelievable tennis here. I don't know, it's something with Berlin I guess," Wang said. "Coming to every match here, I wasn't expecting anything, you know. For me, it was really just to enjoy the stage... We're always saying that (you should) celebrate before the final because if you lose that, you don't celebrate anything for this incredible week." Marketa Vondrousova has powered past world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-2 6-4 at the Berlin Open to book a place in her first final since she won Wimbledon in 2023. Czech Vondrousova controlled the tempo from the outset on Saturday with powerful serving on the grass as she wrapped up the win in one hour and 20 minutes. She will now meet Wang Xinyu in Sunday's final of the Wimbledon warm-up after the Chinese qualifier beat Liudmila Samsonova, the 2021 Berlin champion, 6-4 6-1. Vondrousova 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 on Friday, 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. While Sabalenka struggled to find consistency, racking up 30 unforced errors, Vondrousova stayed measured and composed throughout, limiting her own tally to 12. Despite previous wins over Sabalenka, this was Vondrousova's first career victory against a reigning No.1. Currently ranked 164, the Czech has battled injuries since July 2024 and entered Berlin unseeded after missing three months this season with a shoulder injury. Vondrousova now faces Wang Xinyu who beat Russian Samsonova in an hour and 15 minutes to reach the first final of her career. After securing the first break of the match, Wang built up a 5-2 lead before Samsonova hit back to narrow the gap. But Wang held firm, converting her fourth set point to break again and close out the set. Wang dominated the second set, breaking for 3-1 and saving two break points to hold for 4-1. She broke again for 5-1 on her fourth chance and calmly served out the match. The 23-year-old Wang, ranked 49th in the world, has enjoyed a breakout week in the German capital, beating second seed Coco Gauff in the round of 16. "This week has been a dream for me. I've been playing unbelievable tennis here. I don't know, it's something with Berlin I guess," Wang said. "Coming to every match here, I wasn't expecting anything, you know. For me, it was really just to enjoy the stage... We're always saying that (you should) celebrate before the final because if you lose that, you don't celebrate anything for this incredible week." Marketa Vondrousova has powered past world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-2 6-4 at the Berlin Open to book a place in her first final since she won Wimbledon in 2023. Czech Vondrousova controlled the tempo from the outset on Saturday with powerful serving on the grass as she wrapped up the win in one hour and 20 minutes. She will now meet Wang Xinyu in Sunday's final of the Wimbledon warm-up after the Chinese qualifier beat Liudmila Samsonova, the 2021 Berlin champion, 6-4 6-1. Vondrousova 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 on Friday, 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. While Sabalenka struggled to find consistency, racking up 30 unforced errors, Vondrousova stayed measured and composed throughout, limiting her own tally to 12. Despite previous wins over Sabalenka, this was Vondrousova's first career victory against a reigning No.1. Currently ranked 164, the Czech has battled injuries since July 2024 and entered Berlin unseeded after missing three months this season with a shoulder injury. Vondrousova now faces Wang Xinyu who beat Russian Samsonova in an hour and 15 minutes to reach the first final of her career. After securing the first break of the match, Wang built up a 5-2 lead before Samsonova hit back to narrow the gap. But Wang held firm, converting her fourth set point to break again and close out the set. Wang dominated the second set, breaking for 3-1 and saving two break points to hold for 4-1. She broke again for 5-1 on her fourth chance and calmly served out the match. The 23-year-old Wang, ranked 49th in the world, has enjoyed a breakout week in the German capital, beating second seed Coco Gauff in the round of 16. "This week has been a dream for me. I've been playing unbelievable tennis here. I don't know, it's something with Berlin I guess," Wang said. "Coming to every match here, I wasn't expecting anything, you know. For me, it was really just to enjoy the stage... We're always saying that (you should) celebrate before the final because if you lose that, you don't celebrate anything for this incredible week."
