Marketa Vondrousova stuns Aryna Sabalenka to reach Berlin Open final

Wimbledon 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova stormed into the Berlin Open final with a commanding 6-2, 6-4 victory over World number one Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-final here at the Steffi Graf Stadion on Saturday.

The Czech took one hour and 21 minutes to level their streak at four wins each and qualified for her first final after winning the Wimbledon title.

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

Reflecting on the victory, Vondrousova said it was essential to take risks on grass and described it as her primary strategy.

“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.

Vondrousova then expressed satisfaction with her performance after being away from the sport due to health issues. She also thanked her fans for their support during the period.

“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.”

Notably, this was Marketa Vondrousova’s first career victory against a reigning number one.

The triumph holds further significance for Vondrousova as she battled injuries since July 2024 and entered Berlin unseeded after missing three months this season with a shoulder injury.The Czech will face either 2021 champion Liudmila Samsonova or Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu in the final, which is scheduled for Sunday.