Emma Raducanu put up a brave and spirited fight but fell short in the third round of Wimbledon 2025, losing to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets: 7-6 (6), 6-4. The British star was aiming to reach the fourth round at SW19 for the third time in her career, but Sabalenka’s resilience and power proved too much in the end.
Raducanu came into the match with confidence, especially after her second-round victory over 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova. She also wanted to make a statement by defeating the world’s top-ranked player. And for much of the match, she looked up to the challenge.
Raducanu led 4-2 in the first set and then had a 4-1 lead in the second. However, the momentum shifted dramatically, and Sabalenka, showing trademark grit and heavy hitting, won the last five games to seal the match.
Sabalenka Now 9-0 Against British Opponents
With this win, Sabalenka’s unbeaten record against British players now stands at 9-0. Speaking to the crowd after the match, the Belarusian praised Raducanu’s fight and acknowledged how tough the battle was.
“She played such incredible tennis and she pushed me really hard. To get this win, I had to fight for every point like crazy. 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,” Sabalenka said.
The World No. 1 also addressed the passionate home crowd at Centre Court. “What an atmosphere. My ears are still hurting, honestly. It was super loud! Every time you were cheering her, I was trying to tell myself to just pretend that you were just cheering for me. I had goosebumps honestly, so thank you for the atmosphere,” she added.
Sabalenka will now face Belgium’s Elise Mertens in the fourth round.
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