World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka battled back from the brink of a shock exit on Tuesday, overcoming a spirited challenge from Laura Siegemund to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals for the second time in her career.
In a dramatic and draining quarter-final showdown on Centre Court, Sabalenka clawed her way to a 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory, surviving two breaks in the deciding set and a near three-hour war of attrition against the 37-year-old German.
“After the first set, I was looking at my box thinking, ‘Book the tickets, we’re about to leave,’” Sabalenka joked afterward.
“She annoyed me a little bit, but I made sure not to show it — I didn’t want to give her that energy.”
Siegemund Pushes Sabalenka to the Edge
Ranked 104th in the world, Siegemund—known more for her doubles pedigree than singles success—nearly pulled off the upset of the tournament. With clever slices, relentless drop shots, and her trademark unorthodox rhythm, the veteran German frustrated the Belarusian star from start to finish.
Siegemund, who had never previously reached beyond the second round at SW19 in singles, forced Sabalenka into countless awkward positions, often taking the ball early and attacking second serves.
Sabalenka struggled in the opening set, holding serve just once (after three deuces), and falling behind 5-2 before clawing one break back. But a netted return at 5-4 handed Siegemund the set after 57 minutes of tense, tactical tennis.
Championship Resolve From the Top Seed
Sabalenka left the court between sets to regroup — and it showed. She returned with fresh energy, immediately breaking for a 2-0 lead. Though Siegemund responded quickly to level, Sabalenka’s power finally began to tell. She held firm through a tight service game at 2-2, then reeled off four straight games to take the second set and force a decider.
The third set was anything but straightforward. Siegemund broke to love for a 2-0 lead and had Sabalenka rattled after the top seed missed a simple passing shot that would have leveled the set. But Sabalenka dug in.
Despite losing serve again at 4-4, she broke once more — this time decisively — as Siegemund served to stay in the match. A nervy smash at the net sealed victory after two hours and 54 minutes, sending the relieved Belarusian into her fourth consecutive Grand Slam semi-final.
“I’m really proud that I stayed calm and didn’t repeat the same mistakes I made at the French Open,” said Sabalenka, who lost a three-set final to Coco Gauff in Paris last month at Roland-Garros
“This was a tough match, but a beautiful one.” Sabalenka concluded.
Next Up: Amanda Anisimova
Sabalenka will face 13th seed Amanda Anisimova in the semi-finals after the American defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 7-6 (11-9) in straight sets.
Anisimova, who had never previously gone beyond the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, showed poise and resilience. After racing through the first set, she endured a tense second-set tie-break where she saved five set points before closing it out.
The match ended on a heartwarming note, with Anisimova celebrating her win by carrying her young nephew Jaxon onto Court One for the post-match interview — a symbolic moment on the eve of his birthday.
“It’s a dream come true,” Anisimova said. “I’ve worked really hard for this moment.” She concluded.