Czech qualifier clinches maiden WTA title at 500-level event
Can a single week change your life?
After the one Sara Bejlek just had in Abu Dhabi, she’d argue that it certainly can.
The Czech lefty kicked off her campaign at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open on her 20th birthday, ranked 101 in the world, competing in qualifying, and seeking just her second match-win of the year.
Seven victories later, Bejlek found herself hoisting the WTA 500-level trophy on Centre Court at Zayed Sports City, after upsetting world No.11 Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6(5), 6-1 in the final.
It was Bejlek’s first tour-level title and it has catapulted her up the rankings to a career-high 38 in the world this week.
She claimed three top-wins en route to the trophy, including back-to-back triumphs over No.16 Clara Tauson and No.11 Alexandrova in the semi-finals and final.
“It feels incredible, because now I know that I can play with everybody and every ball, and I don't need to be scared of anybody,” Bejlek told reporters in Abu Dhabi.
“Even though my team was telling me the past couple of weeks and months that I don't need to be scared, but until I get back to the court and I know that I can play every single point with everybody, you never know it.
“And now I know that when I'm playing my best, I can do whatever I want, and then it depends on the other one. Always I know it's not very sunny day on the court, but women's tennis is all about the mind, and then just a couple of things decide the winner.”
At 1.59m, Bejlek knows she’s not as tall as many of the players on tour but she has found a way to use it to her advantage, refining her defensive game, peppering her opponents with slices and drop shots, and moving seamlessly around the court before unleashing big groundstrokes when the opportunity presented itself.
That strategy worked well against Alexandrova, who hits big from the baseline and was facing Bejlek for the first time.
“It’s bad that I’m smaller,” Bejlek told wtatennis.com with a laugh. “But I’m using my own powers which I have; running, and when I can hit harder, I hit harder.
“I’m using the things which the taller players don’t have. I’m playing tennis with the feeling I have in that moment.”
Bejlek admits she didn’t expect she’d be winning the title when she started the week in qualifying but added, “I was trying to go on the court, enjoy every moment, play the best things that I can do in that moment, and I wasn't thinking about the future, but yeah, I knew that it's possible.”
Alexandrova was understandably disappointed to lose the final, but the 31-year-old did not walk away from Abu Dhabi empty-handed, as secured the doubles title alongside her Aussie partner Maya Joint and returned to the top-10 in the singles rankings on Monday.
“Maybe it's not the match I wanted to end this tournament with, because I think I played well at the start of the tournament, but today I couldn't do my best,” said Alexandrova.
“But I need to say, Sara, she played very well during this whole tournament, and especially today. So she deserves to win, and it's a great result for her. And I think overall it's a good week for me, but still, you know, a lot of things that I can improve, and a lot of notes I can take for the future tournaments.”
In her last season on tour and at 35 years of age, Sorana Cirstea produced incredible performances to triumph on home soil and win the title in Cluj-Napoca.
The Romanian veteran needed just 63 minutes to defeat the top-seeded Emma Raducanu in the final, and grabbed the trophy without dropping a set all week.
“Someone please pinch me, because this is a dream come true,” Cirstea said after the win.
“I still can’t believe that I’m holding the trophy as champion here in Cluj. I am so, so happy, I cannot describe it in words. I am so grateful for everything I lived this week.
“I thought I played a very, very good match against a tough opponent. The score isn’t fair [considering] the level of the match. I’m very, very happy with the trophy and I’m going to enjoy this year as much as I can.”
She is only the third Romanian woman to win a title on home ground in the Open Era and has moved back up to 31 in the world rankings as a result.
The moment was made even sweeter for Cirstea as she received the trophy from Romanian former world No.1 and two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep.
Raducanu was playing her first final since her 2021 US Open title run and seemed out of sorts during the match, getting her vitals checked and needing medical attention.
“Sorry, today I didn’t bring my best,” the Brit said during the trophy ceremony. “Honestly, it’s been a while since I gave one of these speeches. Congratulations to Sorana, you’ve had a great week.”
Over in Ostrava, Katie Boulter had better luck than her compatriot as the Brit found her way back into the top 100 by clinching the fourth title of her career, and her first in over 15 months.
Boulter battled back from a set down to overcome Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 in just under two hours.
“Everyone close to me knows how hard this last year has been for me and to kind of get today, it makes it all worth it,” said Boulter during her victory speech.
A successful title defence for Felix Auger-Aliassime in Montpellier came with a slice of history as his ninth career trophy made him Canada’s most-decorated ATP player in the Open Era – going one clear of Milos Raonic’s tally of eight tour-level crowns.
Auger-Aliassime toppled home favourite Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 7-6(4) in a 96-minute final to bag his eighth indoor hard-court title.
“Adrian is always a very tough opponent to play, for all players, I think," said Auger-Aliassime on court. "That’s why myself and all our peers on tour have so much respect for him and the challenge he poses on the court. I knew it was going to be a tough match today, so I’m very happy. It’s amazing emotions to win again here. I’m thrilled with my whole week and especially today.”
ROLAND-GARROS
18 May - 7 June 2026
