Aryna Sabalenka's touching message for Emma Raducanu after Cincinnati Open thriller

Aryna Sabalenka's touching message for Emma Raducanu after Cincinnati Open thriller

Aryna Sabalenka overcame Emma Raducanu in a thrilling three-set battle at the Cincinnati Open, with the Belarusian sending a classy message to her opponent after the match

Aryna Sabalenka defeated Emma Raducanu in a Cincinnati Open thriller (Image: Robert Prange, Getty Images)

Aryna Sabalenka demonstrated her sportsmanship with a heartfelt message to Emma Raducanu after defeating her in the Cincinnati Open. The two tennis stars engaged in an epic three-hour match, with Sabalenka narrowly securing the win.

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She triumphed in a third-set tiebreak, leaving Raducanu, who put up a valiant fight, just short of victory – after asking for a crying child to be removed from the arena during the match.

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This showdown came just weeks after Sabalenka bested Raducanu – who might miss out on being seeded at the U.S. Open in the aftermath of the defeat in Cincy – in a tight match at Wimbledon. This time, however, the competition was even fiercer, with the Belarusian clinching a hard-earned 7-6(3) 4-6 7-6(5) victory.

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Following the final point, the athletes shared a hug at the net in a show of sportsmanship, after which Sabalenka showered her British opponent with compliments.

"I'm really happy to see her healthy, mentally and physically," the 27-year-old expressed during her post-match interview. "Oh my God, like, every time she is improving. She is getting back and I'm happy to see her fighting.

"She's such an incredible player, really nice person. Super happy for her and of course super happy to get through this difficult match. I really hope tomorrow is a day off, otherwise I won't be able to recover after such a great battle."

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Sabalenka revealed that she adopted a bold strategy towards the end of the match, a move that ultimately paid off in the final-set tiebreak.

Sabalenka was full of praise for Raducanu after the match (Image: SKY SPORTS)

"It was all about the momentum, the risk in this game," she added. "At the end I went for crazy shots at important points. It was a little bit risky from me and it helped to put a lot of pressure on her."

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Meanwhile, Raducanu was unlucky not to win her first match under the guidance of new coach Francisco Roig. He was unusually vocal at times, leading to Raducanu being reprimanded by the umpire for breaking the rules.

During a changeover, she walked towards Roig for a quick chat and was scolded by the umpire, who told her that she was not allowed to approach her mentor.

"Emma, you cannot actively approach him and he cannot leave his position," said the official. "You know that. You cannot have a conversation.

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"I can't hear anything because the music is really loud," replied Raducanu, but the umpire was having none of it. She retorted: "Then he needs to speak louder but you cannot actively approach him, he cannot leave the position.

"He needs to stay where he is and you cannot actively go towards him. You cannot actively go, at the end of a game especially."

Raducanu quickly apologized for her actions, saying: "Okay, sorry, I didn't know that. Can you tell someone to tell him? I can't say it like now."

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