Vondrousova knocks out Sabalenka in Berlin Open semi-finals

Beats Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-4; to take on Wang Xinyu in the 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.

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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. AP