World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka survived a scare from Laura Siegemund to win 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 and reach her third semifinal at Wimbledon. The Belarusian did not have the best of starts to the match, as her opponent did brilliantly to win the first set.
However, she roared back by showcasing some vintage tennis to end Siegemund’s dream run at SW19. After securing the win, the 27-year-old gave some glimpses into her mindset as she battled through the match.
Aryna Sabalenka Revealed How She Felt After Going Down a Set to Laura Siegemund
After losing the first set, Sabalenka thought she was headed for the exit door, the Belarusian admitted in her post-match interview. The World No. 1 said:
“Honestly, after the first set, I was just looking at my box and thinking, like guys, I mean, book the tickets, you know, we are about to leave this beautiful city, country, place.”
Addressing the crowd, Sabalenka suggested that their support helped her stay within touching distance of her opponent.
“Honestly, guys, thank you so much for your support,” the World No. 1 gushed. “You don’t understand how much you really helped me to stay in the game, to keep fighting just so I can enjoy playing in front of you all.”
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What Aryna Sabalenka Said of Laura Siegemund After Surviving Wimbledon Scare
Prior to the encounter, Siegemund had described her game as “annoying.” Sabalenka, however, praised the German’s game, calling it “smart.”
The World No. 1 said: “It’s not an annoying game. It’s a smart game. She’s really making everyone work against her. It doesn’t matter if you’re a big server, a big hitter, you have to work. You have to run, you have to earn the win. I didn’t want her to see that I was annoyed or anything by her, even if I was a little bit at some points. But I was trying not to give her that energy.”
“She played an incredible tournament, an incredible match, and I am just super happy with the win,” she added.
With the win, Sabalenka also became the first player to officially qualify for the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh. The World No. 1 now awaits 13th seed Amanda Anisimova for a place in Saturday’s final. The American overcame Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 7-6(9) to reach her first Grand Slam singles semifinal in six years.
Whoever out of the two wins, will reach their maiden singles final at Wimbledon.
