Czech tennis player Nikola Bartůňková reached the semifinals of the China Open in Beijing, defeating world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka and world No. 8 Karolína Muchová during her tournament run. Ranked 493rd in the WTA rankings in January 2025 following a six-month doping suspension for an unintentional trimetazidine positive test caused by a contaminated milk thistle supplement, Bartůňková climbed to world No. 29 following her performance in Beijing.
Beijing Breakthrough and Top-Ten Victories
Bartůňková advanced through the Beijing draw last week to secure her career-best WTA semifinal finish. Along the way, she posted straight-sets victories over two of the sport’s top-ranked competitors. She defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6–4, 6–3 and followed with a 6–3, 6–0 win against compatriot Karolína Muchová. The run elevated her singles ranking to 29th in the world, marking a rapid ascent from her position outside the top 450 at the start of the 2025 season.
The Road Back From a Six-Month Suspension
The 20-year-old Czech player returned to professional tennis in January 2025 after serving a mandatory six-month ban. Independent testing confirmed that the positive finding for trimetazidine resulted from a contaminated dietary supplement containing milk thistle extract. Because tennis anti-doping rules do not provide a protected ranking for players returning from suspensions, Bartůňková received no ranking relief and rebuilt her standing by competing in lower-tier ITF circuit tournaments across Europe.
A 20 YEAR OLD ON A MISSION ⭐️Nikola Bartunkova reaches the biggest semifinal of her career after defeating Muchova in straight sets in Beijing!#ChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/HJAFGiy9Em
Vladislav Šavrda, head of the I. ČLTK Prague club, described the competitive challenge awaiting the club’s top prospect upon her return. “Match deficit can certainly play a role when it is this long. She has to start again from small tournaments. It’s a hard road, there is no discussion about that. Tennis is evening out tremendously and getting back up quickly is not so simple, even if you have great talent,” Šavrda said.
Praise and Tactical Comparisons From the Tour
Bartůňková’s playing style, characterized by aggressive shot-making, frequent use of drop shots, and heavy slice, has drawn comparisons to Karolína Muchová and tactical inspiration from Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz. Following her loss in Beijing, Russian player Mirra Andrejevová noted the difficulty of facing the Czech competitor. “It is very unpleasant to play against her. She has a great serve, amazing feel for the ball, huge talent, and she likes to change the rhythm. At the same time, she can unleash really hard shots out of nowhere,” Andrejevová said.
Aryna Sabalenka, who first faced Bartůňková in June in Berlin where the Belarusian recovered from a 2–6, 0–4 deficit, acknowledged her opponent’s development after their subsequent meeting in China. “She played fantastically. She was hitting it so hard I couldn’t do anything. It was a level I couldn’t believe. I didn’t know what to do with it,” Sabalenka said after their initial encounter, calling her a future superstar.
Autumn Schedule Across China and Japan
Broadcast coverage of the Asian hardcourt swing is available on CANAL+ Sport 2.
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