\n<\/p>\n
Bartunkova has had a breakthrough year, beating then world number 10 Belinda Bencic at the Australian Open and finishing runner-up at the grass court event in Birmingham earlier in June.<\/p>\n
Her flat strokes and booming return of serve confounded Sabalenka, who quickly found herself 5-1 down.<\/p>\n
Having lost four games in a row, Sabalenka saved four set points on her serve and had two break-back points as Bartunkova tried to close out the opener – only for the 20-year-old to fire two huge first serves beyond her.<\/p>\n
The world number 62 let out a huge scream of celebration as she took the lead, and her positive play allowed her to take the first four games of the second set.<\/p>\n
Sabalenka’s serve had barely been a factor – one hit the frame of the racquet and sailed out of court at one point – until she held to love to get on the board.<\/p>\n
Although she had to save another break point, Sabalenka won the next five games to get in front for the first time in the match before taking the tie-break.<\/p>\n
Momentum swung in the final set, with Sabalenka twice being wrestled back from a break up, but a huge forehand winner set her up to serve for the match at 5-4.<\/p>\n
Two match points came and went before a trademark forehand cross-court secured victory for the top seed.<\/p>\n
While the gritty victory will please Sabalenka, she was also icing her right shoulder at the changeovers – an injury that ruled her out of Wimbledon<\/a> two years ago.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, world number two and 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina withdrew from the Bad Homburg Open with a hip issue.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n