In a major upset at the Australian Open, 19-year-old qualifier Nikola Bartůňková defeated tenth seed Belinda Bencic 6-3, 0-6, 6-4 in the second round. The world No. 126, making her Grand Slam main draw debut, ended Bencic's 12-match winning streak with a display inspired by Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz. Bartůňková's victory marks her as one of five teenagers reaching the third round.
Nikola Bartůňková, ranked No. 126, produced a stunning performance on January 22, 2026, at Melbourne's ANZ Arena, overcoming Belinda Bencic in a 2-hour, 12-minute match. The 19-year-old Czech, who qualified for her first Grand Slam main draw, took the opening set 6-3 with sharp volleying and a backhand winner down the line for a break at 4-2. Bencic, the Olympic gold medalist and two-time major semifinalist, dominated the second set 6-0, but Bartůňková regrouped to claim the decider 6-4 amid five service breaks.
"It's a dream come true, because it was an unbelievable match from me," Bartůňková said post-match, overcome with emotion as she bowed to the court in celebration. The win halted Bencic's unbeaten run in 2026 and her 12-match streak since October 2025, where she went undefeated in singles at the United Cup. Bartůňková tallied 40 winners, winning 17 of 26 net points, blending aggressive drives, drop shots, and volleys.
A former top-10 junior, Bartůňková has risen from No. 537 to No. 126 in the past year, facing her first top-20 opponent in Bencic. Her first-round upset over Daria Kasatkina 7-6(7), 0-6, 6-3 foreshadowed this breakthrough. "My tennis is unpredictable," she told iSport.cz last year. "Federer style, Alcaraz style... I like playing the volleys, the drop shots, everything."
Veteran journalist José Morgado called it "the biggest upset of the tournament so far." The Australian Open's social media captioned the moment: "BARTUNKOVA BOILOVER ‼️." Now, Bartůňková faces No. 21 seed Elise Mertens, who beat Moyuka Uchijima 6-3, 6-1, as five teenagers—including Bartůňková, Mirra Andreeva, Iva Jovic, Victoria Mboko, and Tereza Valentova—advance to the third round, the most since the 2009 US Open.
