Sara Bejlek, a Czech tennis player, grew up idolizing the power-packed game of her compatriot, Petra Kvitova.
However, the 18-year-old admitted that he wished he could grow a little taller. Once he reaches the desired height, he looks for another tennis player to emulate. He chose a tennis player who was quite reliable.
“Petra and I come from the same country and we are both left-handed,” said Bejlek. Who achieved a convincing 6-3, 6-1 victory over American Ashlyn Krueger in the third round of the 2024 Madrid Open.
“I still didn’t know that I would be so small, that I wouldn’t play the game. So, Rafa and Petra are my idols.”
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The Czech national doesn’t know it yet, but this combination will set the perfect path for her journey to the last 16 of the first WTA level 1000 tournament of her career.
Ranked 136th in the world at the start of the week, the 18-year-old earned her debut at the WTA level 1000 tournament after she successfully passed the qualifying rounds. She knocked out Anna Blinkova, Anna Kalinskaya and Krueger, all at a venue that Kvitova dominated after she won Madrid Open titles in the 2011, 2015 and 2018 seasons.
“Surprised, maybe a little,” said Bejlek. “But my team told me that I can play tennis, that I can be at the best level, and we will see where I will be and how long I will be there. But I have to focus on my game, on my physical and mental side, and we will see.”
At the Madrid Open this week, the Czech national scored the first two wins of her career over players ranked in the top 50 after she beat Blinkova and Kalinskaya. This achievement brings him closer to debuting in the top 100, but he will face the toughest test in the next round, namely world number 4 Elena Rybakina.
“I’ve never faced a player like that,” Sara Bejlek admitted. “But I will try my best and we will see how the game goes. But I look forward to it.”
Having just won the title in Stuttgart one week ago, Kazakh national Rybakina easily got through the third round of the Madrid Open after she recorded a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Egyptian national Mayar Sherif.
“I thought we played really well throughout the match,” Rybakina said. “Regardless of the standings, it was a very close match. It involved a lot of deuces and we both struggled a lot. I feel really happy with the performance this time.”
