British number one Emma Raducanu is out of Wimbledon after falling agonisingly short of top seed Aryna Sabalenka in a gripping third-round match on Centre Court.Raducanu, 22, put the three-time Grand Slam champion - and clear title favourite - under extreme pressure before succumbing to a 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 defeat."Emma played such incredible tennis and she pushed me really hard to get this win," said 27-year-old Belarusian Sabalenka."I had to fight for every point to get this win."Raducanu, ranked 40th in the world, played with clarity and confidence throughout most of a captivating contest on Centre Court.Had the 2021 US Open champion served out the opener at 6-5 after saving seven set points in the previous game, or converted a set point in the tie-break, the momentum of the lead might have carried her to a notable victory.However, the deficit proved too much to overturn - even though Raducanu broke to lead 4-1 in the second set.The long rallies she needed to break down Sabalenka eventually took their toll and Raducanu began to look fatigued as the favourite fought back.Sabalenka, who is aiming for a first SW19 title, goes on to face Belgian 24th seed Elise Mertens in the fourth round on Sunday.
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