World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka overcame a spirited challenge from British No. 1 Emma Raducanu to book her spot in the Wimbledon fourth round, rallying from a break down in both sets to claim a hard-earned 7-6(8), 6-4 win on a packed Centre Court on Friday night.
Under the closed roof and a wave of electric atmosphere, Sabalenka and Raducanu delivered one of the standout matches of the tournament so far, with both Grand Slam champions trading blows in a dramatic third-round clash that lasted two hours.
Raducanu, roared on by a home crowd, twice led in each set and even held a set point in the opening-set tiebreak. But Sabalenka, the reigning US Open champion, showcased grit and composure worthy of her No. 1 status to fend off danger and close out a high-quality contest in straight sets.
“It was such a tough match, the energy on Centre Court was unbelievable,” Sabalenka said after the win. “Emma played amazing and pushed me to bring my best.”
The win keeps Sabalenka’s title hopes alive and solidifies her status as the top contender, especially with all other Top 6 seeds already eliminated from the tournament.
Next Up: A Familiar Face
Sabalenka will next face 24th seed Elise Mertens of Belgium in the Round of 16 – a player with whom she once formed one of the most formidable doubles pairings on tour. Together, they won the 2019 US Open and 2021 Australian Open doubles titles and both held the WTA World No. 1 doubles ranking during their partnership.
As singles rivals, however, Sabalenka holds a dominant 10-2 head-to-head record over Mertens, including nine consecutive wins. The Belarusian also leads their 2025 meetings 2-0.
Match Recap: A Thriller Under the Roof
The first set will go down as one of the tournament’s most gripping. Raducanu came out strong, taking a 4-2 lead with clean groundstrokes and confident serving. But Sabalenka fought back to edge ahead 5-4, only to be denied by Raducanu’s resilience during a dramatic 13-minute game where she saved seven set points.
The tension peaked in the tiebreak when Raducanu held a set point at 6-5, but Sabalenka saved it with a gutsy drop shot winner before sealing the set with a decisive volley.
Raducanu looked poised to force a third set when she surged to a 4-1 lead in the second and held break point for 5-1. However, Sabalenka responded like a true World No. 1, stringing together five consecutive games to turn the match around and claim her second career win over the 2021 US Open champion.