Emma Raducanu advanced to the third round of Wimbledon 2025 and is set to face a huge test against world number one Aryna Sabalenka. After beating former Wimbledon champion Markéta Vondroušová in straight sets, Raducanu shared her honest thoughts about the upcoming match against the dominant Belarusian player.
The 22-year-old showed strong form at her home Grand Slam, defeating Mimi Xu in the first round before overcoming 2023 Wimbledon champion Vondroušová 6-3, 6-3 on Centre Court.
Emma Raducanu’s Honest Assessment of Aryna Sabalenka Ahead of 3R Match at Wimbledon
Speaking after her second-round victory, Raducanu gave her immediate reaction to the prospect of facing Sabalenka. “Aryna, of course, she’s number one in the world right now, so dominant on the tour, has won literally everything,” Raducanu said.
“So yeah, it’s gonna be a really difficult match, but I’m just happy with how I performed. And all I can do is to control my side of the court as best as possible, and when you play an opponent like her, you know you have to play well, but yeah, I guess there’s no pressure at all on me in the next round,” she added.
“It’s going to be a really difficult match.”
Up next for Emma Raducanu, world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka 🍿#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/cfFPJVnTq9
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 2, 2025
The British player’s comments show both respect for her opponent and a realistic understanding of the challenge ahead. Raducanu acknowledged that she will need to be at her best level to compete with the world’s top-ranked player.
Emma Raducanu’s Current Form and Upcoming Challenge
Raducanu has been working with coach Mark Petchey since the Miami Open and has made technical improvements to her forehand and serve. Her victory over Vondroušová was described as one of the best performances of her career so far, with the British player breaking serve four times and saving four of five break points against her.
The win has moved Raducanu up to world number 43 in the live rankings, rising from her previous position of number 46. She reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last year and is looking to match or exceed that achievement.
Emma Raducanu 🇬🇧 ranking update
Live Ranking
31st in WTA Race
43rd in WTA Rankings pic.twitter.com/79pz4JO1kC— Chris Goldsmith (@TheTennisTalker) July 2, 2025
Sabalenka comes into the match as the clear favorite, having established herself as the most successful player on tour in 2025. The Belarusian has won three titles this year, in Brisbane, Miami, and Madrid, making her the first player, male or female, to achieve this feat in 2025. Her current season record stands at an impressive 42-8.
The world number one has won three Grand Slam singles titles, capturing the Australian Open in both 2023 and 2024, plus the US Open in 2024. She advanced to the Wimbledon third round by defeating Carson Branstine in the first round and Marie Bouzková in the second round.
No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is the only woman of the top-5 seeds advancing to the third round of Wimbledon in singles 😳 pic.twitter.com/S8knTHxm9n
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 2, 2025
Sabalenka has made two previous Wimbledon semifinals in her career and is seeking her first title at the All England Club.
