In the sweltering heat of the 2025 Cincinnati Open, the third-round showdown between world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and British star Emma Raducanu delivered not only a tennis masterclass but also a moment of high drama that had the crowd buzzing. The match, a gripping rematch of their Wimbledon thriller, stretched over three hours and nine minutes, culminating in Sabalenka’s 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(5) victory. Yet, it was a tense exchange between Raducanu and the chair umpire over a crying child in the stands that stole headlines, showcasing the Brit’s fiery spirit and earning her a wave of support from the Cincinnati faithful.
The match itself was a testament to both players’ tenacity. Sabalenka, the defending champion, brought her signature power, firing serves up to 124 mph and leaning on her 16-match tiebreak winning streak. Raducanu, seeded No. 30 and fresh off a straight-sets win over Olga Danilovic, countered with tactical brilliance and newfound serving prowess under the guidance of new coach Francisco Roig, formerly of Rafael Nadal’s team. The first set saw early breaks exchanged before Sabalenka’s tiebreak dominance secured it 7-3. Raducanu roared back in the second, landing 23 of 28 first serves and clinching a break in the seventh game with a second-serve ace to level the match 6-4. The third set was a battle of attrition, with a 23-minute, 13-deuce eighth game where Raducanu saved four break points, her unreturnable serve down the T igniting the crowd.
Amid this epic, a moment of controversy unfolded at 3-4 in the third set. As Raducanu prepared to serve at deuce, a child’s cries pierced the humid air, disrupting her focus. Frustrated, she paused her service motion and addressed the umpire: “It’s been, like, 10 minutes.” The official’s sharp retort—“It’s a child. Do you want me to kick the child out of the stadium?”—drew a shrug from Raducanu, but the crowd erupted, with several fans shouting “Yes!” in her defense. Smiling, Raducanu pointed toward the spectators, acknowledging their support, before the umpire added, “I can call in, but we need to continue for the moment.” The Brit, regaining composure, pressed on, holding serve after the marathon game, her resilience earning a standing ovation.
This wasn’t Raducanu’s only brush with the umpire. Earlier, at 5-4 in the first set, she was reprimanded for approaching Roig for advice, breaching on-court communication rules. “Emma, you cannot actively approach him, and he cannot leave his position. You know that. You cannot have a conversation,” the umpire stated firmly. Raducanu, citing the blaring music, responded, “I can’t hear anything because the music is really loud,” before apologizing: “Okay, sorry, I didn’t know that.” These moments underscored the pressure cooker of the match, played in stifling 32°C heat, and Raducanu’s adjustment to her new coaching dynamic.
Despite the distractions, Raducanu’s performance was a beacon of progress. Her 21-10 record in 2025, bolstered by a Washington semifinal and a Miami quarterfinal, reflects a steady climb back to the top 40. Against Sabalenka, she absorbed the Belarusian’s pace, mixed in deft backhand slices, and fired 3.64 aces per match, a marked improvement from her earlier serving struggles. “It’s like a fact-finding match,” Raducanu had said pre-match, viewing the clash as a gauge of her level against the elite. “I’m reasonable enough, and I guess honest enough with myself, to know that different surfaces favor different people.” Hard courts, Sabalenka’s domain, posed a stiffer challenge than Wimbledon’s grass, yet Raducanu pushed her to the brink, saving a match point with a wide-serve ace before Sabalenka sealed the tiebreak with a booming ace down the T.
Sabalenka, gracious in victory, praised her opponent’s resurgence. “She played such incredible tennis and she pushed me really hard,” she said, her ears still ringing from the raucous crowd. “I’m super happy to see her mentally and physically back, and definitely gonna be back in the top 10 very soon.” The Belarusian, now 24-4 on hard courts in 2025, leaned on her net play and mental toughness, honed by new consultant Max Mirnyi, to navigate Raducanu’s challenge and advance to face Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
For Raducanu, the loss stung, echoing her post-Wimbledon frustration where a Kit-Kat offered scant consolation after a 7-6, 6-4 defeat. Yet, her Cincinnati showing, coupled with the crowd’s backing during the crying child saga, signals a player rediscovering her spark. With the US Open looming—where she’s provisionally a top-32 seed—Raducanu’s grit and growing confidence promise a deep run in New York. As Sabalenka put it, “She challenged me that much, and I like to accept tough challenges.” Their rivalry, now 3-0 in Sabalenka’s favor, is far from over, and the tennis world awaits their next chapter.
“It’s a child do you want me to send the child out of the stadium?” 😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/7f1SgakQez
— Owen (@kostekcanu) August 11, 2025
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