In a swelteringly intense showdown at the Cincinnati Open on August 11, 2025, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka battled through a three-hour, nine-minute marathon to edge out Britain’s Emma Raducanu in a thrilling 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(5) victory. The third-round clash at the Lindner Family Tennis Center was a rollercoaster of momentum swings, showcasing Sabalenka’s resilience and Raducanu’s tenacity under the oppressive Ohio heat, with temperatures soaring to 32°C and humidity making conditions even more grueling. Sabalenka’s strategic shift to bold, high-risk shots in critical moments proved decisive, propelling her to the fourth round and reinforcing her status as a clutch performer in high-stakes scenarios.
The match was a testament to Sabalenka’s evolution as a competitor. Despite racking up 72 unforced errors compared to Raducanu’s 41, she leaned on her experience and mental fortitude to navigate the tight contest. “At the end, I went for crazy shots,” Sabalenka revealed in her on-court interview, admitting that her energy reserves were dwindling. “It was a little bit risky from me and it really helped to put a lot of pressure on her.” Her aggressive tactics, particularly in the third-set tiebreak, included a daring knifed backhand volley to earn two match points, a move she credited to her new doubles specialist coach, Max Mirnyi. “I think that it was a little bit risky from me and it really helped to put a lot of pressure on her,” she said of the pivotal point, which showcased her willingness to take chances when it mattered most.
Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, delivered one of her finest performances since that historic triumph, pushing Sabalenka to the brink. The 22-year-old Brit, now working with Rafael Nadal’s former coach Francisco Roig, started strong, winning the first eight points of the match. However, a double fault on the ninth point shifted momentum, and Sabalenka capitalized, taking the first set in a tiebreak with back-to-back aces. Raducanu responded in the second set, landing 82% of her first serves and securing a crucial break at 3-3 to level the match with a second-serve ace. “She’s world No. 1 for a reason, and I pushed her more than I did at Wimbledon, so that’s an improvement,” Raducanu said post-match, reflecting on her progress since their July clash, where Sabalenka won 7-6(6), 6-4.
The third set was a war of attrition, highlighted by a 23-minute, 13-deuce game at 3-4, where Raducanu saved four break points to hold serve. The crowd, energized by the drama, roared as she clenched her fist, showing rare emotion. Despite a distraction from a crying child in the stands—prompting Raducanu to remark, “It’s been, like, 10 minutes,” to the umpire—she maintained her focus. Sabalenka, meanwhile, admitted to feeling the weight of age and fatigue. “The whole time I was thinking, ‘This is what they call ageing,’” she joked, emphasizing her focus on controlled breathing to stay composed. “Before, when I wasn’t as experienced, I would have gone crazy after missing those chances and probably lost my serve right away,” she added, crediting her mental growth for keeping her in the fight.
Sabalenka’s tiebreak prowess was on full display, as she extended her streak to 16 consecutive tiebreak wins, a record unmatched in the Open Era. Her 49th win of 2025 solidified her lead in WTA match victories, though she expressed exhaustion: “I’m happy to get through this difficult match. I just hope tomorrow is a day off, otherwise I won’t be able to recover after such a great battle.” Raducanu, despite the loss, took positives from the match. “I was able to play some good tennis for patches of the match, but I think it also dropped off for other patches,” she said. “With work and going on the practice court, I can do it for longer and hold the level high for longer.”
The victory sets up Sabalenka, the defending champion, for a fourth-round clash with Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, who defeated Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-2. As Sabalenka prepares for the US Open, where she claimed her first title in 2024, her ability to conjure “crazy shots” under pressure—coupled with Mirnyi’s net-focused coaching—signals a dangerous evolution in her game. Raducanu, meanwhile, heads to New York with renewed confidence, her performance against the world’s best proving she’s closing the gap on the WTA elite. This Cincinnati classic, marked by mutual respect and a warm embrace at the net, sets the stage for more epic battles between these two stars.
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