Nikola Bartunkova def. Alina Charaeva 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 — Cincinnati Open 2026 R128

Match recap

Nikola Bartunkova defeated Alina Charaeva 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the R128 of the Cincinnati Open 2026.

The serve tidied up after the opening set. Bartunkova's double faults fell from four in the first to one in the third, while Charaeva, 2-for-7 on break points in the opener, went 0-for-5 in the decider. Game 10 of the second set flipped it. Broken in game 9 for 4-5, the WTA No. 42 broke straight back a game later to level the match, then took the only break of the third in game 2 for 2-0. Charaeva, a qualifier ranked WTA No. 114 against a 67% market favorite, won 101 of the 207 points and lost anyway. She saved six match points before the finish came 2 hours 41 minutes in, sending Bartunkova into the second round in Cincinnati.

Match stats

Nikola Bartunkova: 6 aces, 100% first serves, 7 double faults, 5/13 break points. Alina Charaeva: 6 aces, 100% first serves, 5 double faults, 4/14 break points.

Profiles: Nikola Bartunkova · Alina Charaeva — Cincinnati Open 2026

Head-to-head

This is the first meeting between Nikola Bartunkova and Alina Charaeva.