Vondrousova stuns Sabalenka 6-2, 6-4 for Berlin Open final against Wang

BERLIN (AP) — 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.

Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova returns the ball to Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka during their semifinal match of the Berlin tennis tournament in Berlin, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Hannes Albert/dpa via AP)
Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka returns the ball to Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova during their semifinal match of the Berlin tennis tournament in Berlin, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Hannes Albert/dpa via AP)
Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka reacts during her semifinal match against Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova at the Berlin tennis tournament in Berlin, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Hannes Albert/dpa via AP)

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