SEO Title: Cristina Bucsa eliminates 28th seed Sara Bejlek at US Open
SEO Description: Cristina Bucsa defeated Czech seed Sara Bejlek 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 in the US Open first round and will play Japanese qualifier Himeno Sakatsume next.
Cristina Bucsa halted Sara Bejlek’s recent surge in the US Open first round, beating the 28th-seeded Czech 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 to set up a second-round meeting with Japan’s Himeno Sakatsume.
Bucsa restores order in deciding set
Bejlek arrived in New York carrying considerable momentum after a breakthrough North American swing, but Bucsa recovered from losing the second set to take command of the decider. The Spaniard’s 6-1 final-set display sent her through despite a difficult stretch of form since winning her first WTA title in Merida in February.
- Bucsa had won only three of her previous 17 matches following the Merida title.
- Bejlek had reached the Prague quarterfinals in July.
- The 20-year-old Czech then made the Cincinnati semifinals two weeks before the US Open.
- Her Cincinnati run included victories over Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys.
That recent form had made Bejlek one of the more closely watched seeds in the draw, but Bucsa weathered her opponent’s athleticism and finished the match strongly.
Bejlek produces a remarkable defensive winner
The match included another extraordinary retrieval from Bejlek, whose court coverage had been a feature of her summer run. Chasing down a Bucsa lob from deep behind the baseline, she then sprinted diagonally forward to reach a volley.
Bejlek first sent a low passing shot back across the court, limiting the angle available to Bucsa at the net. With the point still alive, she carved a delicate backhand slice beyond the Spaniard for a winner. The rally helped Bejlek draw level at one set apiece, but she could not sustain that recovery into the final set.
Sakatsume awaits in the second round
Bucsa’s reward is a meeting with Sakatsume, the 25-year-old Japanese qualifier ranked No. 144. Sakatsume earned the first Grand Slam main-draw victory of her career by defeating Anhelina Kalinina 6-3, 6-3.
- Sakatsume’s win over Kalinina was her fourth career victory against a Top 100 opponent.
- Three of those Top 100 wins have come during the 2026 season.
- The Bucsa-Sakatsume winner will advance from this section of the US Open draw into the third round.
