Billed as a battle of the US Open champions, between the world No.1 and the British No.1, Aryna Sabalenka versus Emma Raducanu had all the makings of a Wimbledon blockbuster.
The match-up did not disappoint. Sabalenka overcame Raducanu beneath the Centre Court roof and before an electric crowd to reach the fourth round at the All England Club.
It took two hours – including 74 minutes in the first set alone – for Sabalenka to subdue the homegrown star 7-6(6) 6-4.
Raducanu saved seven set points in the first set, and held one of her own, before the top seed snatched it with some exquisite net work. The Brit then built a 4-1 second-set lead, with a point for 5-1, before Sabalenka reeled her in.
On court, Sabalenka declared that “I’m pretty sure that soon she’s going to be back in the top 10” – something she elaborated on during her subsequent press conference.
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“She really pushed me to the limit today. I'm super happy with the win,” said Sabalenka, who next faces 24th seed Elise Mertens.
“I cannot predict anything, but I'm definitely sure that, maybe not in a month, but maybe a bit longer period, she definitely going to get back in top.
“She's fighting. She's playing much better. She's more consistent. I can see that mentally she's healthy. I think that's really important. I'm pretty sure she's getting there.”
Raducanu, who famously won the 2021 US Open as a teenaged qualifier ranked 150th, peaked at world No.10 in July 2022.
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She has since battled chronic injuries – forcing her to undergo multiple surgeries – and off-court tumult, making her return to form all the more impressive.
Currently ranked 40th, Raducanu has never before played this many tour-level matches (32) or won as many (18) through Wimbledon in a single season.
Yet this consistency falls short of the kind produced by Sabalenka, who by progressing to the fourth round at Wimbledon has now reached the second week in her past 11 Grand Slam tournaments – a feat no woman has achieved since Serena Williams.
She’s been at her best in the tightest moments, too; after saving set point to snatch the opener against Raducanu, it marked Sabalenka’s 13th straight tiebreak won.
“It definitely gives me a lot of energy and good feeling that I was under pressure, it was a great match, it was a great battle, and I was able to get the win,” Sabalenka reflected.
“That's why I love sport. It's all about challenging yourself. When you go through tough challenges and you get the win, it's the best feeling.
“Maybe earlier in my career I would just lose it and I would just go crazy and lose that set 7-5.
“But with the years, with the experience, I learned that this is not it.”
Indeed, Sabalenka has grown to a point that she has not exited before the quarterfinals of a major tournament since Roland Garros 2022.
Against Mertens – a player she has beaten nine straight times – she will target a place in her 11th consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Should she get there, she would face either lucky loser Solana Sierra or German Laura Siegemund – both ranked outside the top 100 – for a place in her third Wimbledon semifinal.
Beyond that is a shot at a fourth straight Slam final, where her last appearance at that stage provided invaluable lessons she’s carried with her to the All England Club.
“I’m kind of happy for what happened to me at the French Open,” said Sabalenka, bitterly disappointed after her three-set loss to Coco Gauff.
“I had chance to sit back and to look at everything in perspective and realise a lot of things about myself.
“I kind of feel that I'm a different person. I learned from that difficult lesson. I was just keep telling myself: ‘No, you just cannot let it happen again. Whatever happens on the court, you just have to be respectful, you have to be calm, and you just have to keep trying and keep fighting’.
“I was just reminding myself that I'm strong enough, and I can handle this pressure.”