After achieving something extraordinary, like pulling off the seemingly impossible, how do you follow it up? You aim for something even more incredible.
That`s precisely what Emma Raducanu attempted on a lively Centre Court – under the roof, after dark and late on Friday night. And she certainly gave it her all.
While Raducanu has faced numerous setbacks since her stunning US Open victory in 2021, this particular defeat was arguably her most commendable performance yet. Competing against the world No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka – a powerful player from Belarus who has dominated women`s tennis for the last year and a half – Raducanu exited Wimbledon in the third round.
Despite never having defeated a player ranked in the world`s top three, this was a fiercely contested match for Raducanu, ending in a spirited loss.
The final scoreline of 7-6, 6-4 in Sabalenka`s favor doesn`t fully reflect the battle. Raducanu held a break lead in both sets, fought off seven set points while earning one herself in the lengthy 74-minute first set, and came close to a substantial 5-1 advantage in the second.
Ultimately, it was Sabalenka who secured her spot in the last 16 to face Elise Mertens of Belgium. Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam winner, has reached at least the quarter-finals in her last ten Major tournaments, making her a strong favorite for her first Wimbledon title next weekend.
Sabalenka`s power is immense, hitting the ball with incredible force and vocalizing loudly after points. She is an exceptionally challenging opponent for anyone on the women`s tour. Nevertheless, Raducanu competed intensely for two hours, only showing signs of tiring towards the end.
It`s worth remembering that during her historic 2021 US Open victory as a qualifier, where she didn`t drop a set, Raducanu did not play against any top-ten ranked opponents. This match presented a significantly tougher challenge than any she encountered in New York, and she put up a very strong effort.
Raducanu had described her victory over 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova on Wednesday as her best performance in a while and her most notable result since her dream run at the 2021 US Open. However, facing Sabalenka was a much higher level of competition. Sabalenka has been a dominant player for the last year and a half, known for her powerful and aggressive style that can overwhelm opponents.
Despite this, Raducanu created a break point opportunity in the first game with a powerful forehand return winner, but Sabalenka defended it with three strong serves. The Centre Court roof was closed before the 8 pm start time after Raducanu`s friend and mixed doubles partner, Carlos Alcaraz, had a challenging time winning his preceding third-round match.
Raducanu`s serve was effective early on; she hit her own aces and enjoyed participating in high-quality rallies. In the fifth game, Raducanu carved out another chance with a sharp winner down the line, but again, Sabalenka countered with another powerful ace. But the British player persevered, generating two more break points, successfully returned another powerful serve, and broke serve when Sabalenka hit the ball into the net.
The crowd, initially quiet, roared with excitement as Raducanu took the lead. They quickly began cheering for every point she won.
There was no sign of nervousness from Raducanu. It`s well known that she is a young player capable of rising to the occasion and achieving seemingly impossible feats. Her serves in the first three games were incredibly accurate and fast, hitting the lines precisely. However, her serve then faltered, her forehand became inconsistent, and Sabalenka, like a predator, broke her serve without dropping a point.
Soon after, Raducanu was serving to stay in the first set. The crowd`s anxiety was evident, and her forehand shots were frequently landing beyond the baseline. But facing set point, she delivered another ace. She then held off six more, hanging on precariously, before a brilliant cross-court winner gave her a set point opportunity. Finally, after the game reached deuce eight times, Raducanu held her serve.
Sabalenka`s usual grunts seemed to intensify dramatically as the match`s momentum appeared to swing in Raducanu`s favor. Raducanu hit consecutive down-the-line winners. She then slipped near the net, took a medical timeout to ice her right thigh, but returned to earn two more break points, converting the second to the deafening roar of the crowd.
With Raducanu serving for the set, Sabalenka mounted a strong comeback, securing three break points and converting the third to force a tie-break. The tie-break was closely fought and noisy. Raducanu reached set point first, but Sabalenka saved it with a drop shot before winning the remarkable set with a skillful volley.
After coming so agonizingly close to winning the first set, there was a concern that Raducanu might lose her composure. However, she didn`t crumble. Instead, she broke Sabalenka`s serve to take a 3-1 lead after the reigning US Open champion hit the ball into the net.
Sabalenka then had to fend off two more break points to prevent Raducanu from taking a dominant 5-1 lead. But after holding her serve, the momentum definitively shifted. Sabalenka then won five consecutive games to advance to the fourth round.
