Bejlek, the Cincinnati sensation inspired by Nadal: "Since I was little, he was the one who motivated me the most"

Sara Bejlek is, without a doubt, the biggest surprise of the WTA 1000 in Cincinnati. The 20-year-old Czech, ranked 35th in the world at the start of the tournament, has defeated three Grand Slam champions during her stay in Ohio: Barbora Krejcikova, Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys. She beat the latter after an authentic lesson in survival by coming back from a set down and securing a place in the semifinals in the tie break of the third set (3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5)).

Having already disposed of three Grand Slam champions in Cincinnati, she will seek to make Coco Gauff, her semifinal rival, the fourth. Meanwhile, her situation in the WTA ranking has changed significantly. Moving from 35th place to 29th, while a potential final would place her at 23rd and a hypothetical title would make her the 18th best player in the world.

But before thinking about the future and preparing for her match against Gauff, Bejlek stopped by the Tennis Channel studio to talk about her great comeback against Keys, as well as the management she has carried out after her victory over the number one, Aryna Sabalenka. She also took the opportunity to make it clear who has been her inspiration since childhood: Rafa Nadal.

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Sara Bejlek points to Rafa Nadal as her greatest source of inspiration

"Rafa Nadal was the great reference that inspired me a lot. I watched him when I was little, and he was the one who motivated me the most, without a doubt."

Bejlek reveals how she came back against Keys in the quarterfinals of Cincinnati

"I tried to calm myself down a bit. I was pretty nervous in the first set, so I just tried to relax and not think about what was happening. My team was cheering me on from the bench, telling me to keep playing and do my best. And that’s all I was thinking about: doing my best."

Bejlek confesses how she managed her feelings after her victory over Sabalenka

"Yesterday I continued to enjoy the moment, and today, when I woke up, I thought: ‘Okay, it’s a new day, anything can happen’. You have to focus on what is happening today at one o’clock in the afternoon and not think about anything else. This is already past and now it’s time to fight again," concludes a Sara Bejlek who has become the new sensation of the women's circuit at the WTA 1000 Cincinnati. Will it be a flash in the pan, or can Czech tennis count on another great figure?
 

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