Aryna Sabalenka rallies from the brink to deny Laura Siegemund’s Wimbledon miracle

Aryna Sabalenka survived a notable Laura Siegemund, ultimately securing a hard-fought 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory against the veteran German. The Belarusian matches her last two Wimbledon appearances, reaching the semifinals for the third consecutive time.

The three-time Grand Slam champion was pushed to the brink, having to come back from a break down twice in the third set against a tricky opponent who entered the tournament outside the top 100. Nevertheless, Sabalenka showed her class in the important moments and now awaits her next opponent between Amanda Anisimova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

First Set

Siegemund arrived with a game plan she executed from start to finish: prevent Sabalenka from dominating points by consistently playing with slices from both forehand and backhand. For the German, it was crucial to avoid engaging in power exchanges with the Belarusian. With a barrage of slices, Sabalenka committed numerous errors, hitting more uncomfortably than usual, much like Jabeur had defeated her in the Wimbledon semifinals in 2023.

The German secured two consecutive breaks early on, and after saving a break point against her, she went up 3-0. The World No. 1 managed to get one break back but struggled to find consistency with her own serve. By 4-2, Siegemund and Sabalenka traded consecutive breaks, with the German maintaining her advantage. She had the opportunity to close the set on her serve at 5-4 and didn't fail, taking the lead 6-4.

Second Set

From a first set where second serves and unforced errors cost her dearly, the Belarusian began to take fewer risks and be more patient, seeking to win points when rallies extended. The Belarusian secured an early break, but Siegemund quickly responded, leveling again at 2-2.

Then came Sabalenka's best tennis moments, as she finally showed greater consistency with her first serve and capitalized on the German's own errors. The three-time Grand Slam champion went on a good run of points and stepped on the accelerator to take the second set 6-2, winning four consecutive games.

Third Set

The first to take the lead was Siegemund, who began to see light at the end of the tunnel for a miracle win. Siegemund celebrated every point she won, while Sabalenka, particularly erratic, constantly left balls in the net and committed unforced errors.

Sabalenka recovered the break at 3-3, but the 37-year-old veteran took the lead again with a break in the 7th game (4-3), needing only a couple of good service games to secure her spot in the semifinals. However, Sabalenka reacted, getting the break back in a tight game and then imposing – as rarely seen in the match – an almost perfect service game to take a 5-4 lead.

This time, Sabalenka was sharp on return, and for the third consecutive time, she secured a couple of break points in her favor. The Belarusian showed her class in these types of situations, ultimately securing the victory 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, and guaranteeing her spot in the Wimbledon semifinals. She awaits the winner between Amanda Anisimova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Match Statistics Sabalenka vs. Siegemund