Wimbledon: Raducanu goes down swinging to Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka looked shaken and stirred on Friday as it appeared she would become the most high-profile name to join the mass exodus of Wimbledon seeds before her survival instincts kicked in to secure a 7-6(6) 6-4 third-round win over Emma Raducanu.

Wimbledon fans are no strangers to floodlit blockbusters featuring British home favourites, with Andy Murray providing plenty of late-night thrills under a closed Centre Court roof during his stellar career.

On Friday, it was Raducanu's turn to provide all the drama as she surged to a 4-2 lead in the first set and was again up 4-1 in the second.

The 22-year-old kept her Belarusian opponent guessing with her breathtaking shot-making that earned her a break in the fifth game to the delight of the 15,000-strong crowd who roared on every Raducanu winner and cheered on every Sabalenka error.

Although Sabalenka, the sole survivor among the top six women's seeds, gained back the break, she was left shell-shocked when she missed seven set, and break, points at 5-4 on Raducanu's serve, with the Briton serving her way out of trouble.

At the eighth time of asking, in the tiebreak, Sabalenka finally silenced the crowd when she produced a stop volley to bag the set, her achievement being greeted by only a smattering of applause.

Raducanu, who has spent a long time in the tennis wilderness following her remarkable win at the U.S. Open in 2021 as a qualifier, wanted to prove that she was back to her best by following up her win over 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova with victory over Sabalenka.

When she surged into a 4-1 lead in the second, and was one point away from taking a 5-1 lead, it seemed that she might pull off one of the most improbable wins against an opponent who has contested the last three Grand Slam finals.

But it was not meant to be as Sabalenka turned on the power to win the last five games and extinguish Raducanu's hopes of reaching the fourth round for the third time, with the Briton netting a service return on match point.

The top seed will next face Belgium's Elise Mertens.

Four-time major winner Naomi Osaka came up short in her quest to reach round four for the first time after surrendering a one-set lead against former French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Victorious Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova shakes hands with Naomi Osaka on Court Two

The former world number one – a two-time champion at both the US Open and Australian Open – was playing in the third round of for the first time in seven years.

She looked set to claim a small piece of personal history before failing to capitalise on two break points at 4-4 in set two and subsequently going down 3-6 6-4 6-4.

Australian Open champion Madison Keys joined the scrapheap of seeds following a shock straight-sets defeat to veteran German Laura Siegemund.

Sixth seeded American Keys became the sixth top-10 player to be dumped out of the women's draw after going down 6-3 6-3 to 37-year-old Siegemund on Court Two.

Unseeded Osaka missed the 2021, 2022 and 2023 editions of the tournament due to mental health issues, injury and pregnancy respectively.

She was visibly frustrated at being broken early in the deciding set, repeatedly banging her racket on the soft barrier at the back of Court Two.

Aided by some fine forehand winners, the 27-year-old Japanese world number 53 hit back from 3-0 down to level, only for her Russian opponent to regain the initiative and progress in two hours and six minutes.

Pavlyuchenkova, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist in 2016, will take on British number three Sonay Kartal for another place in the last eight.

Into 4R for the first time in nine years 🤝

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova comes from a set down to defeat Naomi Osaka 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 on No.2 Court 💥#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/0ZwgDsYVc5 — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 4, 2025

Osaka has struggled to make an impact at major tournaments since the birth of her daughter Shai two years ago and was knocked out of the recent French Open in the first round by Paula Badosa.

"In Paris, I was very emotional," she said. "Now I don't feel anything, so I guess I’d prefer to feel nothing than everything.

"It’s not like I can really even be mad at myself. I was thinking about the break points that I had. She hit some really good serves. Then she hit a backhand. I can’t really do that much about it.

"Obviously I’m still going to beat myself up a little bit.

"I’m just going to be a negative human being today. I’m so sorry. I have nothing positive to say about myself, which is something I’m working on."

Argentinian lucky loser Solana Sierra continued her impressive Wimbledon debut by beating Cristina Bucsa 7-5 1-6 6-1.

American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova defeated Hungary’s Dalma Galfi 6-3 5-7 6-3.

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