Sabalenka Escapes Early Exit, Battles Past Siegemund Into Wimbledon Semifinals
Aryna Sabalenka needed every ounce of composure and strength to overcome Laura Siegemund in a punishing three-set battle on Centre Court. The world number one clawed her way to a 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 win, surviving two breaks in the final set to advance to her third Wimbledon semifinal.
The match lasted two hours and 54 minutes and pushed Sabalenka to her limits. At one point, she admitted she thought the match was slipping away.
“After the first set I looked at my box and thought, ‘book the tickets, we’re about to leave,’” Sabalenka said after the win. “But I kept going. I didn’t want to give her the energy of seeing I was frustrated.”
Sabalenka will now face American Amanda Anisimova for a place in her first Wimbledon final.
Siegemund’s Disruption Nearly Cracks the Favorite
Siegemund, ranked 104th in the world, had never reached the third round at Wimbledon in singles play. On Tuesday, she came within a few games of pulling off one of the tournament’s biggest upsets. The 37-year-old German played with unrelenting patience, slicing from the baseline and dragging Sabalenka out of rhythm.
Sabalenka struggled with her timing early. She held serve just once in the opening set, needing three deuces to avoid a bagel. Down 5-2, she broke Siegemund once but could not recover the deficit, losing the first set in 57 minutes.
After a quick exit from the court, Sabalenka reset. She broke Siegemund early in the second and, despite briefly losing the lead, stormed back with four straight games to level the match.
The final set delivered drama. Siegemund broke to start, then fended off three break points to go up 3-1. Sabalenka missed a passing shot at the net and collapsed to her knees in frustration. But the Belarusian’s resolve held firm. She broke back, then dropped serve again, before breaking once more to close out the match with a forehand smash.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re a big hitter or a big server,” Sabalenka said. “You have to run and work for it. It’s tough, but beautiful.”
Anisimova Holds On in Tight Quarterfinal
Amanda Anisimova joined Sabalenka in the semifinals after a straight-set win over Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. The American took the first set in 27 minutes, but the second became a tense affair.
Anisimova missed two match points at 5-4 and found herself in a tiebreak. There, she saved five set points before finally closing out the match 6-1, 7-6 (11-9). She dropped to the grass in relief, then picked up her young nephew Jaxon and walked with him for her post-match interview.
This is Anisimova’s first Wimbledon semifinal. She will face Sabalenka for a shot at her first Grand Slam final.
Wimbledon 2025 has seen its top names pushed to the edge, but Sabalenka’s grit has kept her championship hopes alive. The semifinals are now set, with the world number one facing a rising American star and just one win away from her first final at the All England Club.
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