Nikola Bartunkova beat Karolina Muchova 6-3, 6-0 in Beijing in 2026 to reach her first WTA 1000 semifinal. She had already defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the third round and Sinja Kraus 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 in the round of 16.
The 20-year-old Czech’s progress spanned multiple surfaces. After qualifying for her first Grand Slam main draw at the Australian Open, she beat Daria Kasatkina and Belinda Bencic, ending Bencic’s 12-match singles winning streak.
On clay she entered Rome as a lucky loser, beat Madison Keys and reached the last 16. On grass she made the Birmingham WTA 125 final and pushed Sabalenka in the Berlin quarterfinals. Results on hard, clay and grass all preceded the Beijing breakthrough.
In her WTA interview she described mixing forehands with slices and volleys, actively seeking opportunities at the net. Her Beijing semifinal opponent was to be the winner of Mirra Andreeva against Ekaterina Alexandrova.
