Aryna Sabalenka may be the No. 1 player in the world, but she has fallen off her best form as she was beaten in the semifinal round of the Berlin Open by Marketa Vondrousova. The  6-2, 6-4 triumph means Vondrousova will get a chance to earn her first tournament victory since 2023.

Sabalenka has a huge serve and can control most games with her power, but she was out of sorts and was not close to her best against Vondrousova. Sabalenka lost two games on her serve and she was fighting from behind throughout the match.

Vondrousova was in a little bit of trouble on her own serve and twice faced break points. However, she was able to hold Sabalenka off and dominate in the first set.

Sabalenka struggled to get to the semifinal round. She had to fend off four match points against Elena Rybakina  just to advance to this point. The French Open finalist hoped to engage in a similar rally against Vondrousova, but she simply did not have the rhythm, consistency or the confidence to pull of that kind of comeback.

Since Sabalenka is the No. 1 player in the world, her fans are used to seeing her play a much more complete game when she takes the court. In addition to dominating with her serve, her powerful ground strokes are often her signature in important matches. She struggled to hit the ball with that kind power against the outstanding play of Vondrousova.

Vondrousova takes advantage of Sabalenka's inconsistency

Article Continues Below
More Tennis News
Coco Gauff of the United States celebrates winning the womenís singles final against Aryna Sabalenka on day 14 at Roland Garros Stadium.
Coco Gauff breaks silence on ‘tough’ 1st loss after French Open winJess Koffie ·
Mar 18, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Sofia Kenin (USA) waves to the crowd after her match against Petra Kvitova (CZE)(not pictured) on day one of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Two-time Wimbledon champ announces retirementZachary Draves ·
Coco Gauff of the United States poses with Aryna Sabalenka after their match on day 14 at Roland Garros Stadium.
Aryna Sabalenka apologizes to Coco Gauff after ‘unprofessional’ commentsRishav Bhat ·
Nike Air Tech Challenge II release
Nike Air Tech Challenge II returning June 2025Dominik Zawartko ·
Professional tennis player Coco Gauff (l) and journalist Arielle Chambers (r) prior to the game between the Chicago Sky and the New York Liberty at Barclays Center.
Coco Gauff’s Liberty locker room turn-up has fans going wildJess Koffie ·
Jun 10, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Professional tennis player Coco Gauff waves to the fans in the second quarter of the game between the Chicago Sky and the New York Liberty at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Coco Gauff reveals hopes for WNBA expansion team in this cityErin Achenbach ·
Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) reacts after losing a point against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (ESP) (not pictured) in a ladies' singles match on day two of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Vondrousova didn't try to play a fancy game against her high-ranked rival. She said the key to her success was her aggressiveness.

“I feel like on grass you have to take risks, you know, and that was the point; I was like, OK, let's try,” Vondrousova said, per Reuters. “The match would continue otherwise, so you have to go for it. I was feeling really well today, so yeah, I'm just very happy.

“I didn't play for a long time, so I'm just so happy to be back healthy and so grateful to play these matches. When I saw the field, I was like, OK, let's try to win the first round, and now this is happening. So thank you guys for the support.”