Sara Bejlek is the shortest player in the WTA Top 100 (159 cm). But the 20-year-old Czech left-hander makes up for her lack of height with exceptional tennis IQ and great defense on the court.
In February 2026, Bejlek shocked many tennis fans by winning her first WTA title as a qualifier at the WTA 500 Abu Dhabi Open, defeating three Top 20 players and she has now reached a career-high No. 34 in the WTA ranks.
Born: January 31, 2006
Plays: Left-handed
Height: 159 cm (5’3″)
Turned Pro: 2021
Sara Bejlek’s tennis racquet
Sara Bejlek’s racquet is the Babolat Pure Aero 100. It actually looks like it is the new Babolat Pure Aero 2026, the same as Alex Michelsen uses. It is clear that many pros are becoming more open to testing and adopting the new technology offered by the brands. Pro players used to be extremely stubborn around experimenting with new equipment, but times are changing.
She strings her racquet with a black string in the mains, could likely be RPM Team or Blast and puts natural gut in the crosses for more comfort and power.
If you know more about Sara Bejlek’s racquet, please comment below or reach out to @tennisnerdinsta on Instagram.
Career Journey
2023 – First Pro Title:
Captured maiden WTA 125 title at Copa Colina (Chile), defeating Diane Parry 6-0, 6-4.
2024 – Madrid Breakthrough:
As a qualifier at Madrid Masters 1000, defeated 24th seed Anna Kalinskaya en route to the Round of 16, reaching No. 114 in the rankings.
2025 – Rapid Ascent:
- French Open: Recorded first Grand Slam main draw win, upsetting 25th seed Marta Kostyuk before reaching the second round
- WTA 125 Dominance: Won three titles (Makarska, Rende, Querétaro)
- First WTA Tour QF: Prague Open
- Top 100 Debut: Reached career-high No. 75 in November
2026 – Abu Dhabi – First WTA title:
Starting the tournament ranked No. 101 and playing in qualifying on her 20th birthday, Bejlek won seven consecutive matches to claim her first WTA title.
Playing Style
Bejlek doesn’t overpower opponents, she outsmarts them. World-class agility and court coverage force opponents to hit multiple winners per point. She chases down everything and turns defense into offense.
Bejlek keeps opponents off-balance with extreme variations:
- Serve speed changes: 174 km/h aces followed by 113 km/h slice serves
- Mix of topspin, slice and drop shots
- Left-handed angles that create awkward geometries
She studies opponents and exploits patterns, keeping power hitters deep and forcing timing errors.
Surface Preference: Clay specialist. All four WTA 125 titles came on clay.
Career Titles
WTA Tour (1):
- 2026 Abu Dhabi Open (WTA 500) – as qualifier
WTA 125 (4):
- 2023 Copa Colina
- 2025 Makarska, Rende, Querétaro
ITF (7): Multiple clay-court titles
Career Highlights
- Career-High Ranking: No. 34 (April 2026)
- Best Grand Slam: French Open 2R (2025) – defeated 25th seed Kostyuk
- Best WTA 1000: Madrid R16 (2024) – as qualifier
- Prize Money: Around $1.3M
Follow Sara Bejlek
Fans can follow her on the official Instagram account where she posts from her career and personal life.
