Sabalenka Scares Herself Against Siegemund but Finally Reaches the Semifinals at Wimbledon

The women’s quarterfinals at Wimbledon kicked off with world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka facing Laura Siegemund. On paper, the match seemed one-sided.

However, the German player has been in strong form since the start of the tournament, with victories over Peyton Stearns (6-4, 6-2), Leylah Fernandez (6-2, 6-3), Madison Keys (6-3, 6-3), and lucky loser Solana Sierra of Argentina (6-3, 6-2).

On the other side, Sabalenka is chasing her fourth Grand Slam title after falling in the finals of the Australian Open and Roland-Garros this year. However, the Belarusian has never reached the final at Wimbledon, losing twice in the semifinals in 2021 and 2023.

This match was within her grasp, but the early stages confirmed it would be anything but easy. Siegemund, ranked 104th this week, stormed out of the gate, taking a 3-0 lead with a double break.

Shaken at the start, Sabalenka fought back, narrowing the gap. But the 37-year-old German, who saw one of her breaks slip away at 5-2, held firm to close out the first set.

The WTA No. 1 responded, however. After Siegemund immediately erased a break conceded, Sabalenka won the last four games of the second set, extending her remarkable Grand Slam streak. Sabalenka has now won at least one set in her last 99 Grand Slam matches.

The third set was full of twists. Siegemund broke first early in the set, but Sabalenka seized her chances to level at 3-3.

The joy was short-lived, as the German reclaimed the lead in the next game, capitalizing on her opponent’s errors. But Sabalenka tightened her game, refocused at the crucial moment, and surged ahead to hold her advantage.

In the end, the Belarusian, thoroughly tested, pulled through in the nick of time (4-6, 6-2, 6-4 in nearly three hours). Siegemund, a Roland-Garros quarterfinalist in 2020, missed out on her first-ever Major semifinal at 37. Sabalenka will now face either Amanda Anisimova or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who are competing in the other women’s quarterfinal, for a spot in the final.