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Bartunkova had a breakout year, defeating then-world No. 10 Belinda Bencic at the Australian Open and finishing runner-up at the grass court event in Birmingham in early June.
Her flat strokes and increasing returns of serve baffled Sabalenka, who quickly found herself 5-1 down.
After losing four games in a row, Sabalenka saved four set points on her serve and Bartunkova had two break-back points as she tried to close out the opener – only for the 20-year-old to get two huge first serves out of it.
The world number 62 gave a huge shout of celebration as he took the lead and his positive play allowed him to take the first four games of the second set.
Sabalenka’s serve was barely a factor – one hit the racket frame and went off the court at one point – until she loved getting on the board.
Although she had to save one more break point, Sabalenka won the next five games to take the lead for the first time in the match before taking the tie-break.
Momentum hung in the final set, Sabalenka twice wrestled back from breaks, but a huge forehand winner put her on serve for the match at 5-4.
Two match points came and went before a trademark forehand cross court sealed victory for the top seed.
While the impressive win will have pleased Sabalenka, she iced her right shoulder during the changeover – an injury which Eliminated him from Wimbledon Two years ago
Elsewhere, world number two and 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina withdrew from the Bad Homburg Open with a hip problem.
