Czech Republic’s 20-year-old Sara Bejlek completed a remarkable breakthrough run by winning her first WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz singles title at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open on Saturday.
Bejlek defeated second seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6(5), 6-1 in the final, sealing her seventh victory in eight days at the WTA 500 tournament.
The young left-hander entered the tournament ranked World No. 101 in the PIF WTA Rankings and had to battle through two qualifying matches to reach just her second career WTA 500 main draw. Her dream run featured several career-defining milestones.
Bejlek recorded a second-round victory over World No. 24 Jelena Ostapenko, marking the best win of her career at the time. She then reached her first-ever WTA semifinal after a dominant 6-0, 6-2 win over Sonay Kartal in the quarterfinals.
In the semifinals, Bejlek secured her maiden Top 20 victory by defeating Clara Tauson 7-5, 3-6, 7-5. She capped off her unforgettable week by doubling her career tally of Top 20 wins with a composed performance against World No. 11 Alexandrova in the final, pulling away decisively after a tense opening set.
The championship victory, achieved in one hour and 39 minutes, marks a major milestone in Bejlek’s young career and signals her arrival as a rising force on the WTA Tour.
