Emma Raducanu is set to face World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the third round of the 2025 Cincinnati Open, and the British star is drawing confidence from their last meeting. The 22-year-old spoke about their Wimbledon third-round battle last month, calling it one of the most unforgettable experiences of her career.
With the pair set to face off again in the third round of the Cincinnati Open, Raducanu says that match not only gave her belief but reminded her why she plays the sport.
Will Emma Raducanu’s Confidence from Wimbledon Help Her Overcome Aryna Sabalenka This Time?
The 2021 US Open champion is making her second appearance at the Cincinnati Open as the No. 30 seed. After receiving a first-round bye, she opened her campaign with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Olga Danilović to book her spot in the third round. Now she faces top seed Sabalenka in a rematch of their Centre Court encounter at Wimbledon, where the Belarusian prevailed in straight sets.
SABALENKA SHINES ✨
The world No.1 beats Emma Raducanu 7-6(6), 6-4 in a thrilling Centre Court battle#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/CFrWZd6NBN
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 4, 2025
Speaking to Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj after her win over Danilović, Raducanu lit up when recalling the atmosphere of their Wimbledon clash. “It was incredible. I think it was probably my favorite match to be a part of in terms of atmosphere,” she said.
“It was electric. I’ve never felt anything like it. I’ve never heard anything like it. With the roof closed, especially, everything was amplified and the home support of course, it was incredible. I had chances in that match, which was a great thing for me because it took a lot of confidence. I was on the right track.”
She acknowledged the surface change but emphasized the value of pushing World No. 1 to the limit: “It did give me a lot of confidence, and the overall atmosphere was something that I’ll never forget…That’s the reason I play tennis, to play in stadiums like that, in crowds like that, and just to be a part of those matches that are so competitive,” she added.
When asked whether there was anything she could take from that match into their Cincinnati meeting, Raducanu was candid about the challenge. “Aryna serves great, returns great, and has so much raw power from the back,” she said. “So, I just need to do my best, but we’ll see.”
This will be their third meeting on the WTA Tour, with the Belarusian holding a dominant 2-0 head-to-head record. The winner of this match will face either Jessica Bouzas Maneiro or Taylor Townsend in the Round of 16.
