World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka continues to prove why she’s the dominant force on the WTA Tour. The Belarusian battled through a tough three-set quarterfinal match against Germany’s Laura Siegemund, coming from behind to punch her ticket to the Wimbledon semifinals—and, in doing so, matched a milestone last reached by Serena Williams.
Siegemund, ranked No. 104 in the world, shocked the Centre Court crowd by taking the opening set 6–4, forcing Sabalenka into must-win mode. The top-ranked player responded with a dominant 6–2 second set, setting up a tense decider.
Things looked shaky for Sabalenka in the third, as Siegemund grabbed a break to go up 4–3. But Sabalenka flipped the script, winning the next three games to close out the match 4–6, 6–2, 6–4 and secure her spot in the final four at Wimbledon.
With the victory, Sabalenka has now reached the semifinals in 10 of her last 11 Grand Slam main draw appearances—a level of consistency matched only by Serena Williams this century.
Sabalenka joins elite Grand Slam company
Sabalenka’s quarterfinal win also marked the 12th time she has advanced from the quarterfinals in 13 attempts—a staggering 12–1 record at this stage in Grand Slams. She now joins a rare group of legends who have achieved the same mark: Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, and Justine Henin. The only player in the Open Era with a better record is Chris Evert, who won all of her first 13 quarterfinal appearances at majors.
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Sabalenka reflects on the battle
After the match, Sabalenka admitted just how close she felt to defeat—and how much credit her opponent deserved. “That was a real task. Honestly, I need some time to cool down and recover after this match. She pushed me so much,” she admitted.
“Honestly, after the first set, I was looking at my box thinking like: ‘Guys, book the tickets – I think we’re about to leave this beautiful city, country, place,” Sabalenka joked in the on-court interview after the win. “She played an incredible tournament, an incredible match. I’m just super happy with the win”.
With the win, Sabalenka also becomes the first player officially qualified for the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh, putting another exclamation mark on what’s shaping up to be a historic season.
