London: Aryna Sabalenka sat at her courtside chair, head covered in a towel, disappearing for a minute at a time from the rustle and bustle of Wimbledon’s Centre Court. She was engaged in a battle royale against Laura Siegemund, the seasoned German, who tested the world No. 1’s game and guts.Sabalenka, in her 11th successive major quarterfinal, came through 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 in two hours and 54-minutes, the third longest match of the Championships this year. Siegemund, 37, has an unorthodox game and style. The world No. 104 played with a lot of underspin on both sides and ensured the 5 ft 11’ Sabalenka had to get down low to play her shots. The Belarusian was even squatting on the court, meeting the ball at her shoestrings, and trying to hit through.The German, in her second Grand Slam quarterfinals, likes to take her time on court, between points and winds down the clock at every service game, she even got a warning.
It was a test for Sabalenka in every way.The Belarusian, who trailed 1-3 in the decider, found the glue to stick her risky play together to win five of the last six games to make her 12th career Grand Slam semifinal, and third at SW19. There wasn’t much to pick between the players in essence, except that the 27-year-oldwon 10 points more than her opponent in the total count. Siegemund faced 13 breakpoints and the top-seed faced 11.“I was well-prepared for her game, for the way she’s taking time and everything, but of course, inside I was struggling. She was playing a really smart game. In the beginning I was missing a lot, I felt like I was rushing. I’m really glad that after the first set, I was able to reset. I started feeling my game better, and I had a better understanding of what I should do to get the win.”“About her game, I wasn’t really annoyed. What can I do? It was great play, smart play. Tough for my body to play against, but I managed,” she said.Sabalenka likened her Wimbledon quarterfinal in part to the Roland Garros final against Coco Gauff which she famously lost along with her composure.In the semifinals on Thursday, Sabalenka will play American Amanda Anisimova, who scored a strong 6-1, 7-6 (9) win over Russian Anastasia Pavluchenkova. The 23-year-old Anisimova, who took an eight-month mental health break in May 2023, saw her ranking fall outside the top-400, but on Tuesday made her second Major semifinal.
ALCARAZ THROUGH TO SEMIS
World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz eased past Cameron Norrie 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the semifinals on Tuesday. Earlier, American fifth seed Taylor Fritz pulled past Russian Karen Khachanov to make the last-four stage for the first time with a 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4) win.Having finished on the wrong side of five-set contests in Church Road quarters, against Rafael Nadal (2022) and against Italian Lorenzo Musetti last year, Fritz held his nerve to complete a twohour, 36-minute win.
About the Author
