Bartunkova has had a breakthrough yr, beating then world quantity 10 Belinda Bencic on the Australian Open and ending runner-up on the grass court docket occasion in Birmingham earlier in June.
Her flat strokes and booming return of serve confounded Sabalenka, who rapidly discovered herself 5-1 down.
Having misplaced 4 video games in a row, Sabalenka saved 4 set factors on her serve and had two break-back factors as Bartunkova tried to shut out the opener – just for the 20-year-old to fireside two big first serves past her.
The world quantity 62 let loose an enormous scream of celebration as she took the lead, and her constructive play allowed her to take the primary 4 video games of the second set.
Sabalenka’s serve had barely been an element – one hit the body of the racquet and sailed out of court docket at one level – till she held to like to get on the board.
Though she needed to save one other break level, Sabalenka gained the following 5 video games to get in entrance for the primary time within the match earlier than taking the tie-break.
Momentum swung within the remaining set, with Sabalenka twice being wrestled again from a break up, however an enormous forehand winner set her as much as serve for the match at 5-4.
Two match factors got here and went earlier than a trademark forehand cross-court secured victory for the highest seed.
Whereas the gritty victory will please Sabalenka, she was additionally icing her proper shoulder on the changeovers – an damage that dominated her out of Wimbledon two years in the past.
Elsewhere, world quantity two and 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina withdrew from the Unhealthy Homburg Open with a hip concern.
