Sabalenka ends Raducanu’s Wimbledon run in thrilling contest
The world No 1 came through a high-quality battle 7-6 (6), 6-4 against home hope Raducanu to reach the last 16 at Wimbledon
Aryna Sabalenka, Wimbledon, 2025 © Action Plus / Psnewz
Aryna Sabalenka overcame an inspired performance from Emma Raducanu, eventually defeating the 2021 US Open champion 7-6 (6), 6-4 to power into the fourth round at Wimbledon.
While the Belarusian will rightly take the plaudits as the victor, the real takeaway from this match was that Raducanu looks to be back to her very best, exhibiting the type of form that led her to that stunning fairy tale title run in New York just under four years ago.
Having struggled to make an impact against the sport’s leading names across the course of her career – most notably in two heavy losses to Iga Swiatek at the Australian and French Opens this year – Raducanu stepped out onto Centre Court in front of a typically expectant British public and went toe-to-toe with the best player in the world across an enthralling 74-minute opening set.
The Briton twice went a break up, only to be pegged back by the world No 1 each time – once when serving for the set at 6-5 – saving a remarkable seven break and set points in an extraordinary tenth game en route to an eventual tiebreak finish.
The breaker was as close as the set itself, with each player taking turns to nudge another point on the scoreboard without moving more than a single point away from the other.
Raducanu then snuck ahead for a set point of her own at 6-5, before being reeled back in at the death as Sabalenka won the final three points to secure the opener on her eighth set point.
The second stanza began in the same vein as the first, as the Briton again struck first to move 4-1 up. From there, however, Raducanu’s intensity finally – and understandably – began to dissipate as the Belarusian upped her aggression to win the next five games on the spin and surge to victory.
In her on-court interview with BBC’s Annabel Croft – just moments after Raducanu had left Centre Court to a rapturous ovation from the crowd – Sabalenka paid tribute to the level the British No 1 had produced.
thrilling battle with world no 1 proves raducanu belongs at tennis’ top table
“She [Raducanu] played such incredible tennis and she pushed me really hard. To get this win, I had to fight for every point like crazy,” she said.
“I’m super happy with the win of course. I’m super happy to see her healthy and back on track. I’m pretty sure that she will be back in the top 10 soon.
“Emma was playing incredible tennis once again. She was making me move a lot, serving well and playing great tennis from the baseline. I was just trying to stay focused and put as many balls as I could on her side. I just tried to put all of the pressure on her.”
Next up for Sabalenka will be a meeting with Belgian Elise Mertens in the last 16, who earlier took out Elina Svitolina.
Raducanu, meanwhile, exits SW19 for another year, but can take huge heart from what feels like an inflection point in her young career.
It has shown, beyond any doubt, that Raducanu can compete with the very best on the very biggest of stages – and, to that end, that she belongs at the top table of the sport.
