Aryna Sabalenka took over on the set and then grabbed the final three games and took her second break to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals by overcoming 104th place Laura Siegemund 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 on Centre Court on Tuesday.
Sabalenka, No. 1 Since last October, I have never been to a title match at All England Club, the only Grand Slam tournament that’s true. She has opened twice in Australia and once in the US, earning runner-up in this year’s Australia Open (losed to Madison Keys) and the French Open (losed to Cocogoff).
A month after losing to Gauff, he made 70 unlimited errors in the meantime, but Sabalenka knew he needed to hold back his emotions and straighten his strokes.
“If we didn’t learn that lesson at the French Open, I think there’s a great chance that we’d lost this match,” Sabalenka said. “For a while I kept reminding me… ‘Now, it’s Wimbledon quarterfinals, you can’t give up, you can’t take over your emotions and lose another match.” ”
The 27-year-old Belarusian lost in the semi-finals held at Wimbledon in 2021 and 2023. On Thursday, Sabalenka will get her third chance in the round with No. 13 Seeda Manda Animoba as she aims to join Venus Williams as the only active woman to reach the finals in all four major tournaments.
Sabalenka didn’t drop the set until Tuesday during her trip to Grass Court Major this year, but she also wasn’t faced with an opponent that’s unorthodox style like the 37-year-old Siegemundo.
The German who eliminated the No. 6 key last week was the oldest woman in the quarterfinals and the fewest career titles (2).
She arrived there at Wimbledon with a career record of 2-5 and recorded a 4-9 mark on the tour in 2025.
Siegemund’s ability to change the depth, speed, angle and spin of her shot is a frustrating Sabalenka, especially in the final set.
“It’s not like a annoying game. It’s a smart game. She really makes everyone do the job against her,” Sabalenka said. “You know you have to work at every point. It doesn’t matter if you’re a big server or if you’re a big hitter. You have to do the job. You have to run. And you have to get a victory.”
As her mistake was mounted, she looked up at the box with a whimsical expression and raised her hand. After missing one forehand from the short ball, she kneeled on the grass near the net.
After breaking Sabalenka for the sixth afternoon, Siegemund was 40-30 for a chance to take a 5-3 lead in the final set. However, Sabalenka quickly returned to open the match-end run that concluded the 2-hour and 54-minute contest by scoring 12 of the final 16 points.
“She pushed me so much. Honestly, after the first set, I looked at my box and said, “Everyone means tickets like a book. I think we’re about to leave this beautiful city, country, place,” Sabalenka said. “But she’s had an incredible tournament, an incredible match, and I’m so happy to win now.”
Since 2022, Sabalenka is 11-3 in the majors after losing the opening set. Before that, she was 2-13.
Sabalenka improved to 12-1 in the major quarter final. This is the only loss French has opened up to Mirra Andreeva last year. This is the second best win rate for women in an open era after Chris Ebert.
This is Sabalenka and Anishimoba’s second straight meeting in the majors after Sabalenka won 16 rounds at the French Open in straight sets.
Anisimova is the only players who have won Sabalenka at the tour level, Iga Swiatek (8) and Gauff (6), who have never played for Grass, but leads the 5-3 edge.
“I’m sure this surface will fit her game very well,” Sabalenka said. “That’s why she’s played so well so far.”
ESPN research, Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
