Sabalenka Advances to Berlin quarter-finals after two-part victory over Masarova

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, the top seed, reached the quarter-finals of the Berlin Open by beating Swiss qualifier Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-6 (6) at the Rot-Weiss Tennis Club on Thursday, in a match that spanned two days due to weather disruptions.

The Belarusian took command early on Wednesday, cruising through the opening set 6–2 with powerful baseline play and superior movement. However, the match took a dramatic turn late in the day when Masarova reported slippery court conditions to the chair umpire, prompting a halt in play due to player safety concerns and fading daylight.

Sabalenka, visibly frustrated by the decision, expressed her disbelief on court: “You stop the match because she says that side is slippery? I just played two games there and she was losing.” The interruption forced the players to return Thursday morning to complete the match.

Tense Finish on Thursday Morning

Resuming under clearer skies, Masarova came out with renewed intensity, breaking Sabalenka’s serve early in the second set. The world No. 1, however, quickly regained her rhythm and broke back to level the score at 4–4.

The set remained tight, leading to a tense tiebreak. Masarova pushed Sabalenka to the limit, but the top seed showed her resilience and experience, fending off set points to close out the match 6–2, 7–6 (8).

With this victory, Sabalenka advances to the quarter-finals of the Berlin tournament, where she awaits the winner of the match between Katerina Siniakova and Elena Rybakina. This marks another strong showing for Sabalenka, who is aiming to sharpen her grass-court game ahead of Wimbledon.

The Berlin Open, held at the prestigious Rot-Weiss Tennis Club, is one of the key grass-court events leading into the Grand Slam season. The tournament, part of the WTA 500 circuit, boasts a prize pool of €1.06 million and features many of the world’s top-ranked players.

Still recovering from Roland-Garros final

Sabalenka entered Berlin still recovering from a tough loss in the French Open final to Coco Gauff — a defeat she later described as her “worst final ever.” Despite the emotional toll, her performance this week signals a strong rebound and renewed focus as she turns her attention to the grass-court swing.

With her powerful game well-suited to faster surfaces, Sabalenka remains a favorite for the Berlin title. Her next challenge — likely against the in-form Rybakina or the crafty Siniakova — will be another key test in her preparation for Wimbledon.

Berlin WTA 500, other second-round results (Rot-Weiss Tennis Club, grass, EUR 925.661, most recent results first):

• Magdalena Frech vs. Amanda Anisimova
• Xinyu Wang vs. Coco Gauff
• Katerina Siniakova vs. Elena Rybakina
• Marketa Vondrousova beat Diana Shnaider: 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3
• Liudmila Samsonova beat Jessica Pegula (3): 6-7 (8), 7-5, 7-6 (5)
• Ons Jabeur (LL) beat Jasmine Paolini (4): 6-1, 6-3
• Paula Badosa (8) beat Emma Navarro: 7-6 (2), 6-3