Bejlek beats Keys, a third Grand Slam champion of the week, to reach maiden WTA 1000 semi-final

Czech Sara Bejlek fought back from a set down to beat American Madison Keys, the No 20 seed, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5), and reach the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Open on Friday evening.

Keys had raced to a 6-3, 3-1 lead with a break in the second set before Bejlek reeled off five of the next six games to force a decider. In the third, Bejlek held a lead of her own before Keys broke back to send the match into a tiebreak. There, Bejlek moved 2-1 up before Keys won four of the next five points to lead 4-2. Bejlek leveled at 4-4, only for Keys to edge ahead again at 5-4, before Bejlek drew level a second time at 5-5 and closed out the last two points to seal it 7-5.

Sara Bejlek said after the match: “I believe much more than I ever believed in myself. I just keep believing in the match no matter what, and that’s probably the thing that’s always in my head.”

At 20 years old, Bejlek has now beaten three Grand Slam champions in the space of a week: Barbora Krejcikova, Aryna Sabalenka and Keys. She reached this stage by beating Karolina Pliskova 6-0, 6-2, No 23 seed Krejcikova 7-6 (5), 6-4, No 16 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, and top seed Sabalenka 7-6 (7), 6-4, a run that has taken her from Cincinnati debutante to first-time WTA 1000 semi-finalist.

Bejlek will next face the winner of the match between American Coco Gauff, the No 4 seed, and Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, the No 10 seed.

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Cincinnati WTA 1000, QUARTER FINALS

• S. Bejlek vs. M. Keys (19): 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5)
• C. Gauff (4) vs. M. Kostyuk (10) 
• J. Pegula (3) d. A. Anisimova (9): 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(4)
• I. Swiatek (7) vs. E. Rybakina (2): 4-1, ret.