Wimbledon 2025: Aryna Sabalenka Stages Dramatic Comeback To Reach Semi-Finals
Aryna Sabalenka came back from behind to defeat Laura Siegemund 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals. Sabalenka aims for her fourth consecutive Grand Slam final.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka pulled off a remarkable comeback to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals, defeating Germany's Laura Siegemund 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday.
Sabalenka faced a tough challenge on Centre Court, trailing by a break twice in the final set and being just two games away from elimination. However, she staged a dramatic turnaround to secure victory in two hours and 54 minutes of intense play.
The 27-year-old top seed has now reached the All England Club semi-finals for the third time, after previous appearances in 2021 and 2023. Having been beaten in the Australian and French Open finals this year, following her US Open win in 2024, Sabalenka is aiming for her fourth consecutive Grand Slam final.
Sabalenka will compete against either American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova or Russian world number 50 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova for a place in the final. She remains the only one of the top six women's seeds still standing after a tournament full of surprises.
How Aryna Sabalenka Beat Laura Siegemund?
The three-time Grand Slam champion nearly became another high-profile exit in this memorable encounter. World number 104 Siegemund, primarily known for her doubles success, was competing in just her second Grand Slam singles quarter-final. Her impressive performance kept Sabalenka off balance for much of the match.
The 37-year-old Siegemund's unexpected run included a win over Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the third round. Sabalenka needed everything she had to avoid becoming Siegemund's latest upset.
Siegemund's skilful use of slice backhands and drop-shots troubled Sabalenka, leading to two breaks in the first three games of the opening set. Sabalenka managed to break back in the fourth game but Siegemund regained control, securing a third break and serving out the set at the second attempt. It was the first set Sabalenka had dropped in this year's tournament.
Rising to the challenge, Sabalenka increased the power of her groundstrokes, marked by loud shrieks of determination. Her aggressive play led to three breaks, allowing her to level the match and become the first player to take a set off Siegemund in the 2025 tournament.
Siegemund capitalised on a series of errors to break in the third game of the deciding set, but Sabalenka fought back to level at 3-3. When Sabalenka double-faulted and made two unforced errors, Siegemund was close to reaching the semi-finals. However, Sabalenka refused to give in, breaking again and ultimately securing her victory with a roar of relief.
First Published:
July 08, 2025, 21:20 IST
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