The iconic grass courts of Berlin’s Rot-Weiss Tennis Club are all set for a semifinal packed with storylines and contrasts. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, still carrying the weight of her French Open final loss, barely scraped past Elena Rybakina in a wild quarterfinal comeback. Now, she faces the unseeded but dangerous Markéta Vondroušová, ranked 164th but playing like a top contender. This isn’t just about reaching the final; it’s a clash of momentum, resilience, and styles. Who will come out on top? Let’s find out!
Aryna Sabalenka vs Markéta Vondroušová : Preview
Aryna Sabalenka seems to have left her French Open heartbreak in the dust, quite literally, as she powers through the Berlin Open draw with authority. After receiving a first-round bye, the 27-year-old got her campaign rolling with a 6-2, 7-6(6) win over Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova, a match that stretched close to two hours. But the real drama unfolded in the quarters. Facing former World No. 3 Elena Rybakina, the Belarusian stared down a 2-6 deficit in the final-set tiebreak. However, she roared back, saving four match points and clinching a wild 7-6(6), 3-6, 7-6(6) victory in a grueling two hours and 45 minutes.
Roland Garros 2025: Victory in the Women s Singles Final by Coco Gauff USA who faced Aryna Sabalenka on the Philippe Chatrier court during the Grand Slam tournament, in Paris, on June 7, 2025, at the Roland-Garros stadium, – 07/06/2025 – France / Ile-de-France region / Paris – PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRAxRUS JulienxMattiax/xLexPictorium LePictorium_0310360
On the other side, Marketa Vondrousova has been quietly making noise of her own. The 2023 Wimbledon champ, currently ranked No. 164, rolled back the clock with a string of impressive wins in Berlin. She kicked things off by upsetting the seventh seed Madison Keys 7-5, 7-6(6), then battled past World No. 12 Diana Schneider 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-3 in a feisty three-setter to reach the quarters. And just when you thought she might slow down, she produced a dominant performance against grasscourt specialist Ons Jabeur, dismissing her 6-4, 6-1 in just an hour and 15 minutes. It marked Vondrousova’s first semifinal showing on the WTA Tour since Stuttgart 2024, and she’s looking sharper than ever.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Markéta Vondroušová : Head-to-Head
This will mark the eighth showdown between the two, with Aryna Sabalenka holding a narrow 4-3 edge in their head-to-head. However, the Czech had the upper hand the last time they met, scoring a win on the clay courts of Stuttgart in 2024. When it comes to grass, though, Sabalenka took their only previous meeting on the surface.
Stuttgart Open 2024 Quarterfinals: Vondroušová 3-6, 6-3,7-5
Adelaide International 2023 Quarterfinals: Sabalenka 6-3,7-5
Australian Open 2022 Round 3: Sabalenka 4–6, 6–3, 6–1
Miami 2021 (Round 4): Sabalenka 6–1, 6–2
S-Hertogenbosch 2018 (Round 1): Sabalenka 7–6(5), 3–6, 6–3
Indian Wells 2018 (Round 3): Vondroušová 6–2, 3–6, 6–3
Biel, Switzerland 2017 (Qualifying R2): Vondroušová 2-6, 6-2,6-1
Prediction: Aryna Sabalenka in three sets
Aryna Sabalenka’s game plan is simple: take control and don’t let go. She’ll look to bring the heat right from the start, attacking Vondroušová’s slower first serves and stepping up to crush forehands from inside the baseline. For Sabalenka, it’s all about hitting her spots on serve and keeping the pressure on with her aggressive style. If she gets a short ball, you can bet she’s going for the kill.
Vondroušová, though, won’t make it easy. She is after all, a champion on grass. The former Wimbledon champ doesn’t try to out-hit her opponents, instead, she disrupts their rhythm. Expect plenty of low slices aimed at Sabalenka’s powerful but sometimes shaky backhand, forcing awkward contact and rushed footwork. She’s also far more confident at the net and will look to punish any weak approach shots with clean passing shots or clever lobs.
Yes, Vondroušová did get the better of Sabalenka on clay in Stuttgart last year, but the grass tells a different story. The only time they faced off on grass, it was the Belarusian who came out on top. And she has only evolved since then. Her slice is sharper, and she’s more willing to come forward when needed. That makes a difference. This one promises to be a real battle, with both players digging deep. But if Sabalenka showed anything in that wild comeback against Rybakina, it’s that she knows how to fight her way through the fire. Aryna Sabalenka in three sets.
The post WTA Berlin: Aryna Sabalenka vs Markéta Vondroušová ; Preview, Head-to-Head, and Prediction appeared first on EssentiallySports.
